


Yellow

by neko-nya (neko_fish)



Series: Yellow [1]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Detective Kagami, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-04
Updated: 2013-01-04
Packaged: 2018-02-21 03:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 56,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2453126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neko_fish/pseuds/neko-nya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a body was found in a pond at a park 20 minutes away from Tokyo, Detective Kagami's been assigned to the case. The victim: a member of the legendary Generation of Miracles who'd mysteriously vanished a decade ago. Enlisting the help of an old friend of the victim, the two will have to navigate through the world of Japan's small but tight knit basketball community.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Going out for a bit, I'll be right back~!_

_-Ryouta_

\--

It was the hottest summer in recent years - so much so that all the locals began flocking towards the closest body of water no matter how big or small. Although completely packed and surrounded by hoards of people hoping to find escape from the scorching heat, they didn't appear to mind bumping elbows with one another so long as they got a share of the breeze. It wasn't until a young couple, renting a paddle boat, looked down into the water that they noticed something off.

Narrowing their eyes, they leaned in to take a closer look.

It wasn't a fish or a plant or anything they'd ever seen there before. Instead, it was something beige and pearly white…

A moment later, the woman let out a scream.

Mere minutes passed before sirens could be heard roaring down the road.

\--

Kagami Taiga was sitting at his desk, sweating and unhappy despite having both the air conditioning and his personal fan on. The weather channel had been saying it was supposed to rain 'soon' for days now, but there still wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Suddenly, the phone rang. Frowning, he looked at the caller's name and picked it up with a groan. "Hey, what is it, Alex?"

Normally, he'd be ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, but the heat was making him lethargic. He inwardly hoped that his superior wouldn't be sending him outside into the unbearable heat.

A woman's voice replied,  _"Hey Taiga, hope your rear hasn't melted onto your seat from the heat just yet. They just found a body over at Suginami-ku, I'm sending you over there to check it out. It's about time you made yourself useful."_

"Huh?"

_"What do you mean' huh'? I should be hearing nothing but '_ _**Yes, ma'am!** _ _' and ' **Of course, ma'am!** ' from you! I didn't bring you all the way here from America just to mope around and sit behind a desk all day! They're still iffy about whether it was foul play or not - so go check it out. Give me an update afterwards. I'll give you the address. Just use your GPS to get there."_

Sighing loudly, he reluctantly got up. "Fine…should I bring-"

_"Tatsuya's working on another case right now so you're on your own for this one, at least for now."_

"Understood. Guess I'll go now. Bye." Putting the phone down and hanging up, he stuffed his badge into his breast pocket, car keys into his pants pocket, attached the cuffs and holster to his belt, and jammed his gun into the holster. Once he had all the essential parts of his uniform together, he left the sanctuary of the air conditioned room and made his way to the parking lot.

The second he opened the door, he could feel his reluctance rising when a blast of heat hit him square in the face. The seats would probably melt to his clothes, and the steering wheel would probably give his hands third degree burns. Taking a deep breath, as an experiment, he took the water bottle he'd brought with him and splashed a bit onto the seat only to watch it sizzle and evaporate on the spot.

That was  _definitely_  not safe.

"This is ridiculous…." Eyes still wide in amazement, he carefully reached in and started the engine and turned on the AC without getting inside. It wasn't until he deemed the car safe to enter that he finally got in and punched the address into his GPS and drove off.

\--

It took a while longer than the GPS had predicted due to heavy traffic and all the detours he decided to take on the way. Why couldn't they have better marked and less confusing roads? Finally arriving at the site, he got out and was led over to where a crowd had gathered behind the yellow taped area. Feebly fanning himself with his hand, he wished the officer would at least walk in the shade or by the water.

"The victim hasn't been ID'ed yet. So far, all we have is that he was a male, probably in his teens. Tall, over 180cm, and he was an athletic boy. Judging from the bones, my best guess would be a basketball player. We have people in the water working to retrieve the rest of the bones right now. It'll be hard to place an exact time of death until we bring the remains back to the lab. He'd been tied, or rather,  _wrapped_  in a rope attached to a boulder - probably to keep the body from floating to the surface. But on the brighter note, because of that, we have most of his bones and bits and pieces of the clothes he was wearing. I wouldn't get my hopes up on DNA tests though, any sample we may find will probably be compromised."

Seeing the tarp on the grass with bones laid out on them, still tangled in the rope, Kagami frowned, the heat forgotten. "Can you tell if he was alive when he went in?"

"I hope not but I couldn't tell you at the moment. He's all bones now, remember? I can say though, that we're certain it was foul play now that we managed to get the remains out of the water and took a closer look at them. With the way the rope had been wrapped around his body, there's no way the victim could've done it himself."

"And who found the remains?"

His escort pointed to the people sitting under a tree nearby. "That couple over there in the shade. They were in a paddle boat when they spotted it. That's all I got from them. The poor woman fainted after discovering it."

"From the heat or shock…" he muttered to himself and knelt down to take a closer look at the remains. In the back of his mind, he was careful not to drip any sweat onto it. The boy's body had already been dumped into a pond; he didn't need to be further disrespected. Reaching up to wipe the sweat off his forehead, he looked down and noticed something reflective in the rope. "Oi, come over here for a sec. Bag this thing up, would you?"

The investigator carefully picked up the shiny bit from the rope. "Oh. Good eye, detective." Looking at it, he raised a brow curiously. "It looks like a piercing…" Placing it into a baggy, the worker passed it back over for him to inspect.

Narrowing his eyes at the bag, Kagami hummed in thought. "A teenage basketball player with a piercing, hm? Finish up here and bring the body back to the lab and then send me a report, alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Let's see if we can at least ID this boy…"

\--

A few days later, he sat waiting at his office waiting for a report. Why couldn't things happen as quickly as they did on TV? At least it'd finally rained and the world seemed to have returned to a survivable temperature again. Sighing, he tapped his pen against his cheek, wondering just how long it took a team to analyze a sack of bones. And just as he thought it, there was a knock at the door and a person with an envelope came walking in. "Detective Kagami?"

He raised his hand. "Over here."

The man perked up and quickly made his way over. "Ah, sorry. Here's the report on the body at the Zenpukuji Upper Pond. The victim hasn't been ID'ed yet, we're still checking the dentals and waiting for a match. There's also an artist rendition of what the victim probably looked like when he was still alive. It's just a sketch but it should be quite accurate."

"Alright, thanks." Taking the envelope and watching the man leave, Kagami leaned back and took the contents out, curious to see his victim's face. Though just a sketch, the victim had been a good looking boy, a familiar looking boy. He couldn't quite place his finger on where he'd seen that face before though.

His stomach growled, disturbing his train of thoughts.

Glancing at the clock, he realized that it was lunch time. He quickly grabbed the envelope and wallet and made his way to his usual fast-food joint. Cheap burgers were the best.

\--

Sitting at a booth, the redhead had papers including the sketch laid out in front of him as he stuffed his face with burgers, taking sips of his milkshake in between bites. Suddenly, a voice spoke up from beside him, "Excuse me…"

Out of surprise, his body couldn't decide between swallowing or spitting the food out so he choked on his burger instead.

With tears in his eyes, Kagami took a gulp of his shake before looking over. It took him a long moment to notice the smaller man standing there, coolly sipping on his own drink. "Don't sneak up on me like that! When'd you get here?"

The young man with light blue hair and eyes blinked and stated calmly, "I've actually been standing here for a while now. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you choke. But, it's just that…that sketch you have there…"

Blinking, Kagami turned his attention back towards the sketch on the table. "Huh? Does he look familiar to you?"

"Yes, he does."

Well, that was unexpected, but it perked his interest all the same. "Oh? Here, take a seat. Tell me more. He was an athlete, right?"

His question caused the stranger to raise a brow. "That's right. If this is the same person I'm thinking of, then he's a basketball player."

"I'm going to guess it's the same person. And he had a piercing, right?"

The smaller man had the drawing in his hands as he studied it. He nodded in affirmation. "In his left ear, yes. And the last time I saw him, his hair was a little longer than in your sketch. But this looks just like him - except monochrome."

It sounded like this person actually knew the victim. "Hm? What hair colour did he have?"

"He's blond with amber eyes…" The stranger paused as though taking a moment to process his train of thoughts. "You don't know his hair colour? I thought maybe you drew this sketch."

"No way, I couldn't draw something like this to save my life," he replied bluntly with an offhanded wave.

"Oh. May I ask why you have a sketch of him then?"

"One more question first. When was the last time you saw him…sorry, I didn't get your name?"

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Detective Kagami Taiga, homicide." Neither of them tried to shake hands, especially since his hands were full at the moment.

The other was wringing his hands now. "The last time I saw Kise-kun was around ten years ago when he…you're a detective? Homicide? Then that must mean…"

Finishing the last of his burgers, Kagami frowned, feeling stupid. He hadn't expected to have to break the news to someone in such a casual setting while doing something as distracting as stuffing his face. He allowed words to fly out of his mouth without thought. "Ah, shit. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. If you wouldn't mind, could you come down to the office with me to tell me what you know about 'Kise'? If you're busy now, then you can just drop by later. I'll be there all day. Here, I'll give you my card. We can talk more at the office. I think we both want more information about this. And I think you'd be a lot of help to this investigation so…"

Still composed but clearly shaken, the blue haired man nodded and spoke quietly, keeping any turmoil he was feeling to himself. "Yes, of course I'll help out however I can. I have to get back to work now but I'll come by afterwards, Detective Kagami. Please excuse me."

"Just Kagami's fine-" but the other was already nowhere in sight. "What? How'd he disappear like that...?"


	2. Chapter 2

Hours after the lunchtime encounter, Kagami was slouched over his desk. Sifting through the pages of the report aimlessly, he tried his best not to lose his patience. Then there was a knock at the door, causing him to sit up excitedly as the young man from earlier stepped into the office. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a Detective Kagami?"

He waved from his desk and got up with the file in hand. "Kuroko, you made it! I was starting to think you wouldn't show up. Here, we can go talk somewhere private."

The shorter male gave a slight bow. "Sorry for taking so long. One of the children at the nursery's parent was late so we had to wait with him."

Nodding absent-mindedly, he couldn't imagine the young man he'd just met working in a nursery at all. Did he ever smile at the kids? So far, with the limited amount of time he'd spent with the other, he never really got to see a shift in expression on the young man's face. Did the kiddies even notice him standing around? Waving offhandedly, he shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's your job, right? Nothing you can do about it. Come on over this way, I think there's AC in that room over there."

\--

Using an empty office, the two sat down. "Detective…"

Maybe it was because he'd been 'Americanized' but he just couldn't get used to all the formalities and honorifics they used in Japan. It made everything and everyone seem too distant and unapproachable - to  _him_  anyway. He preferred more casual settings. "Just Kagami or Taiga's fine. There's no need for formalities. I mean, I have no intention of calling you Kuroko- _san_  or anything. It's too tedious."

"That's rather rude of you, Kagami-san-"

"Oi, did you even hear what I just said? Just Kagami's fine."

"Kagami- _kun_  then."

Figuring that that was probably the best he was going to get, he shrugged in defeat. "Stubborn one, aren't you? Fine. Isn't that kind of weird though? You're like, how old? 22?"

"I'm 26 years old," was the deadpan response.

He did a double take, not believing his ears. "What? Seriously? You're the same age as me? How's that even possible? You're so…small and young looking." Hoping he didn't offend the other, he quickly changed the subject. "Uhh, so what'd you want to ask?"

The next answer was a little more hesitant. "I just wanted to make sure. Are you positive that it was really Kise-kun you found?"

"Well, we're still waiting on dentals to come back, but we've got the sketch and this." Kagami pulled out the bag with the hoop earring from the envelope and handed it over to Kuroko. "Does this look familiar to you?" He'd been studying it while waiting for the young man to drop by and noticed that although discoloured, a bit of the original colour could still be seen. "Lab reports say that it was made of sterling silver. But it looks like there might've been blue paint on it at one point. Does this piercing mean anything to you?"

With the plastic bag in his hand, Kuroko sat there, staring wordlessly at it. A minute later, he nodded weakly. "Yes. This earring means that Kise-kun really is dead."

Suddenly uncomfortable at the thought of maybe having made another man cry, he looked away sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, I probably should've broken the news in a nicer way. Do you need a moment? I could get you tissues and leave the room or something," he offered.

Alex didn't call him 'Mr. Sensitivity' for nothing.

Kuroko shook his head slowly, expression remaining carefully blank though he fumbled for words. "No, I'm alright. It's just that…I guess it's just never really crossed my mind that Kise-kun could…die. Even though he's been missing for so long now, I always expected to see him again. Can you tell me how it happened?"

Kagami thought about it for a moment before deciding that it'd be for the best that he share the information he had for lack of better things to say. "The cause of death hasn't been determined and we haven't established a motive for the crime yet but," he glanced over at the other, trying to figure out the best way to word it, "when we found him over at Zenpukuji Park…he was in the pond."

Light blue eyes blinked. "In the pond? I don't understand."

"We found him in the water. Someone had tied him to a boulder. But again, we haven't determined the cause of death yet so we don't know if he was alive when he went in…" He trailed off, mentally scolding himself for not having a nicer way to tell the other the truth. "I realize that it was a long time ago, but can you think of anyone who might've had it out for him?"

The smaller man shook his head. "No, not really. No one that immediately comes to mind anyway." Though his voice remained composed, Kagami could see by the other's eyes that the news had had a deep impact on him.

Holding a notebook in his hand, he looked over. "Do you think you could you tell me more about Kise?"

Kuroko gave a tight nod though his eyes remained trained on his shoes. "Yes, of course. Kise-kun - his full name's Kise Ryouta. You must not be from around here if you've never heard of him while growing up. He was a really well known model and basketball player. I met him in the second year of middle school. We were both on the basketball team at Teikou Middle. Our team was called the Generation of Miracles, but that was a really long time ago. I suspect most people don't remember anything about the Generation of Miracles anymore."

His ears perked at the name, happy for the chance to lighten the mood with talk of basketball. "The Generation of Miracles? Oh, that's where I heard his name from. When I was in middle school and high school, I used to follow basketball here while I was in America. He was pretty much a sports prodigy, wasn't he? Wait, does that mean you were in the Generation of Miracles as well?" He thought hard for a moment. "Oh! I think I might've read your name once in an article actually. No offense, but I can't see you playing basketball at all."

The shorter male shook his head. "It's alright. The reporters rarely noticed me, that's probably why I was never featured. I didn't really have an official position either. I was the ace's shadow."

"Huh? Is that even a real position? Did you make that title up in your head just now?"

"You're very honest with your words, aren't you, Kagami-kun?"

He was ready to mutter an unhappy apology but stopped when he spotted a small smile on Kuroko's lips. The atmosphere in the room lightened. "So even you can make that kind of expression, huh? Hey, later, if you want, let's have a match. There's a court nearby. I played through middle and high school and the police academy so I bet I'd be able to take you on. I've always wanted to play against the Generation of Miracles." In fact, he barely managed to graduate from the academy because even though he knew how terrible he was at pretty much every academic subject available, he still went out and played instead of studying.

"Sure. I still play every now and then myself. Anyway," Kuroko continued, "Kise-kun probably had a lot of natural enemies actually that I think about it. He was the person who had everything, looks, a well paying job, and endless talent in sports. A golden boy if you will. He wasn't very good at studying but I imagine that a lot of people were envious of him. I can't think of anyone who would act on it though."

"I take it he was a nice guy then? Likeable?"

A nod. "Yes, he was very popular with both men and women. Kise-kun was a really cheerful person and was nice to everyone. He was kind of like a dog - especially the people he acknowledged. He was always running around adding 'cchi' to people's names. Even in high school, he always visited me at Seirin. You could hear his 'Kurokocchi, Kurokocchi' from miles away. He was a really loud guy - and too trusting. Even in middle school, we used to reprimand him for giving is phone number to fans and stalkers."

Raising a brow, Kagami asked incredulously, "Stalkers? Really?"

There was fondness in his voice as Kuroko spoke, "Yes, he had a few stalkers, but they were usually crazy but harmless fans. The only time something bad happened was when they stole his clothes from the changing room during practice. It's because Kise-kun was too carefree about everything. From what I remember, he got punished by Akashi-kun for being so careless."

"Do you remember anything about the day he went missing?"

Blue eyes looked upwards in thought. "The night he went missing…that was the night the Winter Cup Tournament ended. There was a big formal dinner party and all the participating teams were invited to attend. It ended around 8 or 9 from what I remember."

Kagami continued jotting down notes in his notebook. "And Kise was there? Did he act any differently that night?"

Kuroko shook his head. "No, he was loud and cheery as always. He wore a really expensive suit that he got from one of his modelling jobs and spent the night talking and exchanging numbers with the players from other schools. I don't think he ever stopped socializing with people until the party ended, but that's pretty normal for Kise-kun. After the party ended, we all went our separate ways and that was the last time I ever saw Kise-kun."

Dipping his head in acknowledgement, he urged the other to continue. "When'd you find out he was missing?"

"I found out later that night when I got a call from Aomine-kun. Kise-kun was staying over at his place that night. Apparently he'd left a note saying that he'd be right back. And naturally, Aomine-kun assumed he went to the convenience store to buy something. But then after a couple hours, Kise-kun didn't return so we started looking around for him. We, or everyone we could gather on such short notice, spent the whole night looking for him. And by the next day, word had gotten out to the police and the press. There were so many people looking for him but we never found him. We never heard from him again after that night."

After he finished writing down notes for himself, he glanced over at the other. "Aomine…sounds familiar. Isn't that the guy on the national team?"

"Yes, that's the same one."

"Wow, so you're actually connected to some pretty well known people, aren't you?" Scribbling the name down, Kagami tapped his pen against his cheek out of habit. "After I inform the family, do you think it'd it be worthwhile to look into the other Generation of Miracles members? And his old teammates of course."

Kuroko dipped his head. "It'd probably be useful. Everyone was there for the tournament so we all saw each other quite often around that time. One of them, or maybe their teammates might've seen Kise-kun after the banquet that night. We didn't really keep in touch after high school. Actually, after middle school, Kise-kun was the only one who really tried to stay in touch with everyone. I could easily get their contact information for you if you'd like though. Actually, would you mind if I came with you?"

"Oh? That'd be a lot of help. And not that I'm complaining, but why do you want to tag along?"

"The Generation of Miracles…I'd like to see how everyone's doing. That, and other than Kise-kun, they don't open up very quickly to strangers so I might be able to help you out. Please, I'd like to find out what happened to Kise-kun as well."

A little surprised by the determination in those light blue eyes, Kagami mentally thought the situation through. On the one hand, he'd come in handy since he appeared to be well connected to a number of people who could help. But on the other, there was the fact that he was a suspect in the case since there was always the off chance that he was actually the perpetrator, being a friend to the victim and all. Not to mention how guardedly blank he always kept his expression made him look suspicious. However, despite his expressionless face, the smaller male had very honest eyes.

He decided to trust them.

Shrugging, the detective took out his phone from his pocket. "Sounds fine to me. Is there a law against bringing civilians into cases? Maybe I should ask Alex. Ah, whatever, I guess I could bring you along as an adviser or something. Just make sure you don't get in the way, okay? Here, let's exchange numbers. Then at least we'll be able to contact one another." In the back of his mind, he wondered if this was how it felt to exchange numbers with a girl. Glancing over at the smaller man, he reached out and ruffled the other's hair. "Come on, I think you've had enough depressing talk for one day. Let's go see about that basketball match. I bet there's a ball around here somewhere."

Blank blue eyes looked over at him and handed his phone back. "You're surprisingly kind, aren't you, Kagami-kun? I think Kise-kun would've liked you. I bet he would've called you 'Kagamicchi' and messaged you until you got sick of him."

Kagami made a face at that. "Kagamicchi? He'd seriously call me that with a straight face? I don't know if I would've liked him that much. A model and a basketball player? He sounds  _too…dazzling_  for me."

"I think you would've, or you would've learnt to tolerate him. You get used to the radiance and sparkles after a while. As a basketball player, it's very hard not to respect him. Kise-kun always tried his hardest and wasn't all about winning like other players. Even though he only played for 2 years, he really loved basketball."

"You're making me wish I'd met him now. It sounds like he would've been fun to play against-aside from the nicknames." There was a long pause between the two. Finally getting up, he blinked. "Oh, one more thing before we have our match. Can you help me find a good picture of Kise? I'll need one for the file." He figured it was easier asking Kuroko than the boy's parents.

Perfectly seriously, Kuroko replied, "If it's a good photo you want, you should get one of Kise-kun crying. He had a very nice crying face."

" _What!_? Don't say something like that with such a serious face, you sadist!"

\--

Once outside in the court, he smirked and tossed the other the ball. "Let's see what you've got, Kuroko. I definitely won't go easy on you."

"Alright."

Within a moment, Kuroko was making his towards the hoop. He hadn't expected the other to move so quickly. "Wha-" Before he could even get the word out of his mouth, the shorter male was going for a layup already.

And missed.

"…oops."

His eyes widened in disbelief. " _Oops!_? Oi, Kuroko, are you joking me? Stop screwing around! I thought you were supposed to be  _good_  at basketball! Are you sure you were in the Generation of Miracles _!_? How'd you miss an unguarded layup _!_?"

"Kagami-kun, please stop yelling so loudly, people are staring…"

\--

The next day was a stressful day. Not only did he have to break the news to the victim's parents, but he had to ask them to keep the death of their son to themselves as well. After having updated Alex on the case and defending Kuroko's right to assist him on the case, they'd decided that with such a high-profile victim, it was best to keep everything on the down low for as long as possible. Following that stressful ordeal, he ended up spending a couple hours at the library - a place he rarely went. Hiding in a study room, he went through old newspaper articles and magazines. Most of the headings and information was about the same with the exception of a couple rumoured elopements.

" _Top model Kise Ryouta missing!"_

" _Model and basketball player Kise Ryouta kidnapped?"_

" _Kise Ryouta disappeared into thin air after tournament banquet!"_

The basketball magazines kept him busy for a while. Kagami learnt not only more about the victim, but also familiarized himself with the basketball players and teams that took part in the tournament. "Kaijou High, was it? Let's see, he had the ability to see people's techniques and copy them? Sounds impressive. Why does he always seem to get centerfolds? These magazines are for guys, aren't they? Why's he so ridiculously photogenic?" Flipping through the magazine, he snorted. "As expected, nothing on Kuroko. Did that guy really play basketball?"

Then he moved onto the fashion magazines and celebrity gossip, which, much to his surprise, provided him with more information than he'd expected. There was a paparazzi photo of him leaving the banquet with a group of people, all dressed in their best. And one of the people in the photograph, he recognized as Aomine Daiki, the now professional player and the youngest player ever admitted into Japan's national team. Looking closely, he gave a start when he noticed Kuroko in the photo. More than anything, he looked more like a faint outline compared to the other people in the photo. "I guess he really  _was_  there. So this was the last photo taken of Kise, hmm? Everyone in this photo looks so striking…except Kuroko, he really  _is_  a shadow. He looks so out of place with all these people."

Putting aside that magazine to photocopy later, he began flipping through other ones. "More centerfolds, really? Just how many interviews do people need from him? Good looking, popular, athletic  _and_  fashionable? Isn't that a little excessive for one person? Talk about making others feel inadequate…"

In his pocket, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Kuroko telling him that he was off work and had the contact information for his old teammates. Kagami smiled to himself. "He's actually serious about helping me solve this, isn't he?" Closing the magazines and grabbing the photocopies he'd made, he got up and left, making his way to Maji Burger, the place where he'd first met Kuroko. "I guess this kid's got his good points as well."

\--

At their rendezvous point, he ordered his usual meal, found a seat and sat down. He was half way through his third burger when Kuroko suddenly appeared in the seat across from him with a milkshake in his hand. "Hello, Kagami-kun."

Kagami let out a loud yelp, dropping his burger in the process.

"Damn it, Kuroko! Don't just pop up out of nowhere like that! Ah-you made me drop my burger!"

Unfazed, the other merely took a sip of his drink. "I was waiting for you to notice me but you never did so I had to speak up. Did you have a productive day today?"

Rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh, the redhead nodded. "Yeah, I did actually. I managed to get a hold of his 'Missing Persons' file earlier. Then I broke the news to his parents and convinced them to keep it to themselves for now while we investigate. The media hasn't caught wind of anything yet so we're hoping to use this to our advantage. Oh, what did you think about the elopement rumours the magazines were spewing? Was that possible at all?"

The other shook his head. "No, Kise-kun wasn't the kind of person to quietly elope. He would've been noticed no matter where he went. And besides, he had no need to elope."

"Hmm, I guess I'll take your word for it." Taking out the photocopies he'd made from the library, Kagami showed his temporary partner the photo from the banquet. "So apparently this was the last photo taken of him. They all look like celebrities here. And it took a while to notice, but look, you're in it too."

Kuroko studied the photo and nodded. "This was after the banquet when we were on our way home. This person here's Momoi-san, she's the national team's manager now. She's been moving up in the basketball world with Aomine-kun ever since they were little. She's also the person who provided me with all the contact information for the Generation of Miracles, she used to be our manager back at Teikou."

Eager to meet someone as well known in the basketball world as Aomine, he asked the other hopefully, "Are they in Tokyo right now?"

"Unfortunately, no. But Momoi-san told me that there'd be a break soon so she'll give me a call when they're back in town."

"Did you tell her about Kise?"

The smaller male shook his head. "No, I just told her that I wanted to meet up with them because of something important. For now though, if you want to meet members of the Generation of Miracles, your best chance would be Midorima-kun. Apparently he's working as a doctor at Tokyo University Hospital now."

Looking up in thought, he tried to remember which one that was. "Midorima, Midorima, Midorima…oh, he was the shooting guard, right?"

"That's right. I was actually thinking yesterday after our match - you're really good at basketball, aren't you, Kagami-kun? I was thinking that if you'd been at Seirin for high school, I would've made you my light and helped you become the best in Japan. I think it would've been fun."

Kagami raised a brow at the statement. "I don't really understand what you mean by that. I mean, it sounds like a lot of fun, if I'd been here for high school and all. But after yesterday, I'm not convinced that you ever actually played basketball. So how could you've helped me?"

Kuroko shrugged. "I'll show you what I mean next time then. As long as we play on the same team."

A smirk graced his lips as he stuffed the rest of his burger into his mouth. "Oh? Sounds interesting. I'll be looking forward to it. But for now, let's go meet this Midorima guy."

"Kagami-kun, please don't speak with your mouth full."


	3. Chapter 3

After finishing the last of his burgers, the two made their way towards Tokyo University Hospital. Kuroko looked over and suggested, "Kagami-kun, maybe you should get injured for real so we have a legitimate reason for seeing Midorima-kun."

He frowned and cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Oi,  _I'm_  the detective here! I can't risk getting too injured while I'm on the case. How about I punch you so hard in the face that you go colourblind instead, you sadist? That'd be 'a legitimate reason for seeing Midorima- _kun'_ , don't you think?"

Playing around with his cell phone, the smaller man didn't bother looking up. "I'm going to have to decline. Besides, I think it's illegal for law enforcers to attack an innocent civilian such as myself. Look, Kagami-kun, we're here."

Letting out an annoyed huff, he didn't bother rebutting and followed the other into the hospital. Red eyes watched as the other male stood in front of the counter while the lady behind the desk filled out whatever paperwork she had in front of her. After a while of waiting for the receptionist to notice Kuroko, doing his best to keep a straight face, Kagami walked up to the counter. The woman immediately noticed his tall stature and looked up from her work. "Yes? How may I help you?"

As discreetly as he could, he sent his temporary partner a triumphant smirk which earned him a sulky frown. The detective replied, "Yes, we're looking for a Dr. Midorima? Could you direct us to his office, please?"

The woman blinked for a moment, not quite understanding why he used the word 'we' until she finally noticed the other male standing around and gave a start. Quickly nodding, she pointed them down the hallway. "Of course! He's two floors up. You can take the elevator over there. Go left after you get out of the elevator and his office will be to your right. You better hurry up, I think he's off soon."

"Alright, thank you." With an affectionate ruffle of Kuroko's hair, he led the way down the hall. "Come on, let's go see him. This might work out better than I thought. If he gets off work, at least we won't be getting in his way. What? Don't give me that look. I think doctors are very respectable people and indispensable to society."

Kuroko shook his head. "I'm not questioning the importance of doctors. I was just surprised by your consideration, and then how you managed to throw a word like 'indispensable' into your sentence, that's all. That's a big Japanese word for an American. Do you even know the kanji for it?"

"Oi, stop looking down on me or I'll seriously punch you."

\--

When they reached the doctor's office, they shared a glance before knocking on the door. An immediate reply came. "Come on in."

Kuroko entered first, greeting the other in his usual polite tone, "Hello, Midorima-kun."

Green eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the shorter male. "Kuroko? What are you doing here? I haven't seen you around since high school." Then adjusting his glasses and composing himself, he cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed at his reaction. "So what brings you here? Are you in need of medical assistance? Not only that, but who's this?"

"This is Kagami-kun. He's a detective."

"Kagami Taiga," he introduced himself.

At this, the doctor raised a brow skeptically, and Kagami couldn't help but notice how long the other man's lower eyelashes were. "Detective? I'm Midorima Shintarou. Kuroko, why are you associating yourself with a detective? And more importantly, why did you bring him here? Actually, don't tell me yet. I'm off in about an hour, go wait for me outside the hospital. It's unprofessional for me to dealing with my private affairs during work hours. I'll have to call Takao to get him to pick me up later."

\--

Quickly agreeing, the two of them ended back outside. "Hey, Kuroko, can you tell me why he was holding a remote control in his hand?"

The other didn't look surprised by either the remote or his question and shrugged. "It must've been his lucky item. Midorima-kun's very superstitious when it comes to luck. He believes in horoscopes and astronomy and all that, so he carries around his sign's lucky item everywhere he goes. I guess he hasn't changed at all in that aspect. It's nice to see that he's doing well."

"Hm? What kind of person was he during middle and high school?"

"He was a very reserved person, still is probably. Even at Teikou, he usually kept to himself when he wasn't playing basketball. Oh, but he did play a lot of Shogi with Akashi-kun. We mostly kept our distance from one another since we didn't get along very well, but sometimes, he joined in with our antics. To be more accurate, he was dragged into them."

"And his relationship with Kise?"

"With Kise-kun…Kise-kun loved everyone. That includes Midorima-kun. And although he usually ignored Kise-kun, I think deep down inside, he was fond of him. Kise-kun liked playing pranks on Midorima-kun by taking his glasses. Of course, it usually resulted in the both of them blindly crashing into walls and doors and breaking things. He was there that night, helping us look. In a lot of ways, I think Midorima-kun turned out to be the most successful one out of all of us."

He raised a brow. "Oh? Because he's a doctor? I guess that must pay pretty well."

Kuroko shook his head. "Not just that. I mean, he's still with Takao-kun. I think that's very amazing. I don't think most people realize just how consuming basketball can be. Sometimes, good things can get caught in a vicious cycle and by the end of it all, you're so worn out that you stop caring. It's nice to see that those two managed to get through it."

Although Kagami wasn't sure what or who the other was talking about, before he could ask, Midorima appeared and got straight to the point, asking, "So will you kindly tell me why you're here with a detective, Kuroko? And keep it quick because today isn't a lucky day for Cancers so I want to get home."

Perking up, the shorter male looked over. "It's about Kise-kun, Midorima-kun."

"Kise?" Midorima paused before adjusting his glasses to hide his surprise. "…I haven't heard that name in years. Have they finally found that idiot?"

"Midorima-kun, he's…"

Kagami frowned, not wanting to break the news to yet another person that day but realized that it was his job to do so, not Kuroko's. "I'm afraid Kise's no longer with us. We found the body a few days back."

The doctor's eyes widened. Sitting down on a bench nearby to take in the news, he looked over at Kagami. "Are you sure it's him? Kise Ryouta? Gemini? It's been 10 years, why now? Where was he?"

After going through the process of explaining the case again, chewing on his lower lip, he asked his usual questions, "I heard you were there looking for him the night he went missing. Can you tell me anything you remember about that night and the last time you saw him?"

Green eyes downcast, Midorima stared at his shoes as he spoke, "That night, Kise was going around and being loud and annoying as usual at the banquet. He came by our table with his sempai. Takao ended up talking to Kasamatsu-san, so I was stuck with Kise."

" _Midorimacchi, congrats on making it to the semi-finals!"_

"He didn't stay very long though."

Kagami raised a brow. "Where'd he go?"

The doctor shrugged. "I think he went running over to Kuroko's table."

"Oh?" Throwing a questioning glance over at Kuroko, he frowned. "Is that true?"

Taking a moment to think, Kuroko nodded. "Yes, I remember now. Kise-kun came by a couple times that night actually, so I wasn't sure which time you were talking about, Midorima-kun. That was probably the time he came running, crying about how mean 'Midorimacchi' was being to him."

" _Kurokocchi! Midorimacchi's being really mean to me! He called me noisy!"_

" _You_ _ **are**_ _being noisy, Kise-kun."_

" _You're so mean, Kurokocchi!"_

"And then he went to talk to Kiyoshi-sempai after that. Those two became really good friends by the end of the night. Actually, now that I think about it, Midorima-kun, you were really good at making Kise-kun cry, weren't you? Every other conversation you two had ended up with him crying."

Reddening, the doctor sat up defensively. "What are you talking about, Kuroko? That guy just cried too easily!"

Kagami stared at the green haired man incredulously. "Don't tell me you were a fan of his crying face as well."

Another blush surfacing, Midorima waved his hands in front of his face frantically in denial. "W-what? No! Of course not! Who even told you about his crying face? Like I said, that idiot just cried too easily! There's no way I would've taken secret pleasure in making him cry!"

_The Generation of Miracles was full of sadists…_

Quickly changing the subject to avoid making the doctor even more flustered than he already was, Kagami jotted down a couple of notes and asked his next question, "Anyway, can you think of anyone who would want to hurt Kise?"

Clearing his throat, obviously glad for the change in topic, Midorima calmed down and answered, "Anyone who'd want to hurt Kise? I'm sure there were many people envious of Kise, but there's one name in particular that comes to mind. Have you looked into Haizaki Shougo?"

It was his turn to pause. "Haizaki Shougo?

"Yes, Kuroko, you should remember him as well. He used to be a regular member on the first string at Teikou, but then Akashi forced him to quit and then he was replaced by Kise. He was out to get Kise at the Winter Cup as well, wasn't he?"

Kuroko nodded. "That's right, he stepped on Kise-kun during their match and wanted to do more damage afterwards but Aomine-kun stopped him."

Midorima adjusted his glasses once more. "That's what I've been told as well. The last I heard of Haizaki, he was serving time for fraud or theft or something along those lines. Oddly fitting for his character, I think. That guy always did like taking what wasn't his."

Writing the name down in his notebook, Kagami dipped his head. "Haizaki Shougo. I'll go look into him tomorrow. Thanks."

"Kuroko, does  _he_ know about this yet?" The shorter male shook his head silently. "I see…"

Kagami looked over at the doctor. "There's one more thing…"

Not missing a beat, Midorima raised a brow. "Did I kill Kise? No I didn't. As for my alibi, I was with Takao when I received the call from Momoi. If you want to ask him, he should be here soon."

Just then, as though on cue, a figure came towards them on a bike with a wagon trailing behind. Waving happily at them, the stranger called out, "Shin-chan! I'm here! Oh! Is that Kuroko I see?"

"Good timing Takao. Do you remember where we were the night of the Winter Cup banquet?"

Takao blinked. "Huh? You mean the night Kise disappeared? That's really sudden…I think you were teaching me how to play Shogi when you got the call. We didn't get any sleep that night, did we? Oh, who's this bulky looking guy? Kuroko's friend?"

"He's a detective working on Kise's case. Apparently Kise's…" Midorima trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

The black haired male's eyes widened. "Seriously? Shin-chan, are you going to be okay? Have you guys told Kasamatsu-san yet? He's going to be devastated. Kasamatsu Yukio, he and Kise were really good friends in high school. Here, I can give you his number if you want. We still stay in touch every now and then since we were both point guards and it's nice to reminisce about the old days."

Quickly writing down the number the other gave him, Kagami frowned. "Thanks, I'll be in touch with him. But for now, can you two keep this case to yourselves? The media hasn't caught wind of it and made a mess of it yet so we'd like to keep it on the down low for as long as possible. By the way, I'll have to take down your numbers as well in case there are further questions that need answering."

The two nodded and the doctor turned around to get into the wagon. "If that's all then we'll be taking our leave. Come on Takao, let's go. This lucky item clearly wasn't big enough."

"I don't think it's the size that counts, Shin-chan."

"By the way detective-"

"Just Kagami's fine."

"What's your sign?"

"Huh? Was that a come on? It's Leo, why?"

"Leo…today's not a very lucky day for you. Your lucky item for today's an umbrella, that's all. Let's go, Takao."

"Okay! Wait, we're not going to play to see who pedals? Ah, never mind, I never seem to beat you anyway. I'll take you wherever you want."

Kagami could only stare in shock, still not quite comprehending the conversation he just had. "What?"

Before leaving, Midorima looked over at him. "Detective… ("Oi, I said just Kagami's fine. Don't you people listen?") The last words I said to Kise that night were 'Go die' and that's something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. It's not something I'm proud of."

Takao smiled ruefully at them. "Shin-chan's not very good at expressing himself. What he's trying to get at is that he hopes you solve this case, and he's glad you came to tell him, right, Shin-chan?"

Sitting in the wagon with his arms crossed sternly, Midorima glared at his chauffeur. "Shut up and drive, Takao."

"Yes, sir! Bye, Kuroko, detective. Don't worry, I'll make sure he cries his heart out!"

Waving, once the two were out of sight, Kagami blinked. "Hey Kuroko, what is that contraption they're riding off in?"

"That's a bike and a rear car. It's their preferred mode of transportation from what I remember. It's very eco-friendly, don't you think?"

Making their way away from the hospital and park, he mentally noted down the names of people he had to get in touch with tomorrow. "Kasamatsu Yukio and Haizaki Shougo, hmm? Oh, by the way, what was with that lucky item comment? I'm going to have an unlucky day?"

Right as he said that, thunder boomed and raindrops began hitting the ground. Kuroko looked up. "Maybe that's what he meant. An umbrella really would've been a lucky item for you."

Shielding himself from the rain the best he could with his arms, Kagami motioned for the other to follow. "Stop blabbing and run. Come on, my place is pretty close to here, you can come dry off over there."

"Okay."

\--

Towelling his hair off after taking a shower, Kuroko blinked at the dishes laid out on the table. "Kagami-kun, you're a surprisingly good cook, aren't you?"

"Huh? Isn't this normal? I live on my own so I had to learn how to cook, that's all. Sit down and dig in before the food gets cold."

Light blue eyes blinked and did as he was told. "…it's really good. Thank you for dinner. Oh yes," getting up to grab his bag, he took out a tape and a photograph, "this is a tape of a practice match against Kaijou, and this is a photo of the Generation of Miracles. I had to ask Hyuuga-sempai and Aida-san for the tape. He was our team captain and she was our coach. They're married now."

Taking the photograph, he studied it for a moment. "Oh, there you are again."

"You really didn't believe me when I said I was in the Generation of Miracles, did you? You already know Midorima-kun, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun and Momoi-san. That person there's Murasakibara-kun and that's Akashi-kun. This was after we won our last championship before graduating from Teikou. "

After dinner, the two sat around and watched the tape. "Oh, he was actually really good." Then at the end of the game, when Kaijou lost, the camera zoomed in on Kise's face. At first, there was shock and then the tears spilt over, running down the model's cheeks. "Ah, he's crying…"

"You're staring, Kagami-kun. I told you he had a nice crying face. The one kicking him there is Kasamatsu-san."

Although he couldn't deny it, he didn't want to voice his agreement either.

Kuroko didn't press the matter though the amusement was evident in his eyes. "Other than his crying face, what did you think?"

"Kise looked like a great player. I would've liked to play against him. He really just steals the spotlight, doesn't he? Ah…he looks really strong."

"And?"

Kagami blinked. "And?"

"Do you believe me when I say I play basketball now?"

There was a long pause before he admitted honestly, "Actually, I was so caught up watching Kise play that I didn't notice you at all. My bad. But I'll watch it again, okay? And I'll look out for you next time."

Though Kuroko's face remained blank, there was pouty look about him.

_How cute…wait, did I really just think that?_

The shorter male shook his head. "It's alright, take your time. I have work tomorrow so I'll be taking my leave now, thank you for dinner."

Getting up, he walked the other to the door. "Do you want me to walk you back?"

"Thank you but it's alright."

"Okay, but at least take an umbrella in case it starts raining again."

Kuroko dipped his head and accepted the umbrella. "Thank you, Kagami-kun. Tomorrow, if you're going to go see Haizaki-kun, please go without me. I'd rather not see him if I can avoid it. It's nothing serious, I just really dislike him. And a word of advice, don't bring women to see him, he's incredibly disrespectful when it comes to women."

A little shocked by the statement, he could only nod. "Hey Kuroko, did you…"

Light blue eyes blinked. "Did I what?"

He shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I'll call you when I'm done with Haizaki tomorrow then. Good night. Be careful on your way back."

"Good night, Kagami-kun."

After he closed the door, he wondered exactly what he'd wanted to ask the other.

" _Did you have feelings for Kise?"_

Shaking his head to himself, he scolded himself for sounding like a jealous girlfriend. Within 48 hours, he'd had to come face to face with a number of uncomfortable truths and possibilities. Until he saw Kise's picture and the video of him playing, he had never really been able to admit to himself that a man was attractive. Model or not, the boy had been good looking while he was alive. And until he met Kuroko, he'd never felt protective and jealous of another male over a dead person. This case was turning out to be life altering in more ways than one.

Sighing audibly, he picked up his phone and called up his boss. "Hey Alex? Are you still at the office? There's a name I'd like you to look up for me. Haizaki Shougo? Apparently he has a history. For all I know, he could be serving time right now. Later? Yeah, sure, that sounds fine with me. Alright, sounds good. Thanks, I'll see you later then."

\--

The next morning, letting out a groan, he rolled onto his side and hit something or rather, someone with his arm. "Hnnn…Kuroko…?"

Opening his eyes groggily, he saw pale skin…and then breasts. A lot of breast. Letting out a yelp, he scooted away and fell off his bed. "Alex! Why are you in my bed? Naked?  _Again!_?"

His boss let out a groan and looked over at him in exasperation. "Hnnn…? What are you yelling about so early in the morning Taiga? I did you a favour last night so the least you can do is give me a place to stay for the night and make me breakfast."

Getting up, he grabbed his blanket and shoved her off the bed. "Make your own breakfast!"

"Ow! Hey, it's cold!"

Grabbing her clothes off the floor, he chucked everything at her. "Then put on some clothes, you damn nudist!"

\--

Eggs sizzling on the skillet, he listened as Alexandra coming out from the bathroom after her shower. "Ah, that was nice. Oh, what are you making? It smells great."

Inwardly pleased at being able to use English in Japan, he replied without looking over, "Eggs, bacon, sausages, hash brown, and toast."

"Sounds tasty. I'm so glad I brought you over. I missed your cooking."

"Thanks," he replied sarcastically. "And here I was, worried that you'd brought me over to work on cases and whatnot."

Glancing over slyly as she took a seat, she asked innocently, "So who's this 'Kuroko' person you called me earlier? Wait, isn't that the guy who's helping you out? Oh my, does Taiga have a crush? I'm curious to see what he looks like now. Is he comparable to your victim?"

Face reddening, he muttered quietly to himself, "Kise was a model, how can anyone compare?"

"What?"

"I'm not going to grace you with an answer to such a ridiculous question."

Smiling, Alex continued watching him cook. "Fine, be that way. Guess I'll have to find out myself then. By the way, are you going to see this Haizaki guy today? Do you need me to come along?"

He snorted and put down the plates onto the table. "No thanks. With you around, it could get dangerous."

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself against any schmuck you throw at me."

"I know, I was saying that it could get dangerous for the poor guy, not you. You're a monster, Alex. Any person in their right mind would be afraid of you. Anyway, I'd rather not have you around for this. I don't want to have to deal with charges for assault and battery." Finishing the last bite of his breakfast, Kagami placed his dish in the sink. It was their unwritten code that he cooked and Alex did the dishes. "I'll return to the office after I'm done questioning him. I need to ask Tatsuya something anyway."

"Okay, I'll tell him to wait for you then. Have fun."

On the way down the street, his phone buzzed. Blinking at the message, it took a long while to understand what it meant.

" _The lucky item for Leos today is a pack of gum."_

Scratching the back of his head, he frowned. "That guy…he seriously believes in this stuff, doesn't he?"

But after yesterday's incident, he took a detour and made a quick trip to the convenience store.

\--

Listening to the bars slamming shut behind him, he frowned at the sight of the male prisoner with long, African braids, tied back sitting casually in a metal seat.

"Haizaki Shougo…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omake: A bit of MidoriTaka
> 
> On their way back, as he pedalled down the street, Takao look up at the sky in thought. "So Kise's really gone, hmm? You were awfully fond of him in your own way, weren't you, Shin-chan?" Not receiving an immediate reply, he glanced back onto to see the doctor curled up in the wagon with his face hidden. "Ah...it's okay, Shin-chan, just let it all out."
> 
> "Shut up, I'm not crying. It's just raining really hard," came the muffled reply.
> 
> "Huh? But it's not-" Just as he was about to finish the sentence, thunder boomed and rain began falling from the sky. "Hey Shin-chan..."
> 
> "I told you so."
> 
> "Even the sky's against me today, hmm? Fine, fine, I get it. You're not crying. You're just psychic and it's raining really hard. Come on, let's go home."


	4. Chapter 4

Taking a seat across from the prisoner, Kagami took a deep breath and studied the man in front of him. Long cornrow braids tied back, the man had sinister looking eyes that reflected nothing but boredom as he kicked his feet up onto the table. "Haizaki Shougo. Sentenced to 15 years for assault and battery, assault of a police officer, armed robbery, theft and car-jacking."

The convict replied with a confident, mocking smile, "Why yes, that is indeed my name and those are indeed my crimes, detective. And how can this humble, lowly criminal help you on this fine day?"

Immediately annoyed by the other's cockiness, he didn't bother with the small talk. "Kise Ryouta."

Haizaki blinked, taken aback by the name. "Kise Ryouta? Well, there's a name I haven't heard of since I was a teenager. Did they finally find the pretty boy? He went missing for quite a while, didn't he? Everyone made such a big fuss about it, but I guess that was because he was the golden boy."

Wanting to see if the man across from him would bring up Kise's death without him telling him, Kagami continued the conversation, "You don't sound particularly fond of him. Tell me about your relationship with Kise."

The other man smirked. "Hmm? Bossy and straight to the point, aren't you? With the way you're glaring at me, detective, I feel like I should be getting myself a lawyer...again. All I'll say is that the whole world seemed to be in love with Ryouta. It was annoying; kind of like a spell everyone was cast under where he could do no wrong and was perfect at everything he did. All the girls would flock to him and all the guys wanted to be his friend or were gay for him."

He raised a brow. "But not you."

Shrugging carelessly, Haizaki looked up to the ceiling. "But not me. What can I say? I knew from the start that we wouldn't get along, but I guess I sort of liked him in my own way. Whenever I looked at him, all I could think was 'Oh, he'd look good even if he were get beaten up' or 'I want to see his crying face' or even 'I'd like to fuck him' sometimes. But I suppose that's why he got a modelling job, eh? Everyone just wanted to fuck him."

_That crying face thing again…_

Annoyed, Kagami took out the pack of gum he'd bought earlier on Midorima's advice and shoved a piece into his mouth. Silently, he wondered whether or not eating his lucky item of the day was against the unwritten rules of luckiness. "I heard you played dirty during the Winter Cup tournament. Care to elaborate?"

Haizaki hummed mock-thoughtfully to himself. "Maybe for a stick of gum I would. I haven't had junk food of any kind since I got locked up in this bummer of a place."

_Cooperation for a stick of gum? It really is my lucky item. Damn, now I feel like I owe Midorima. I wonder if sharing the gum with a criminal will make it less lucky?_

Tossing a stick over, he frowned. "So, talk."

Unwrapping it and tossing it into his mouth, Haizaki smirked to himself. "That's good sugar. So you want to know about the Winter Cup? Fine. It's all in the past anyway." He shrugged offhandedly, "I played a match against Ryouta's team during the quarter-finals. From what I remember, I was still pissed at Akashi for kicking me off the team and replacing me with some kid who never even won a match against me. It's not like I gave a shit about basketball, but it hurt my pride, you know? So we play, and I'm winning as usual. But then out of nowhere, Ryouta's suddenly in the fucking zone and starts using moves that I can't steal. So I thought, 'Fuck it all, I'm going to crush him'. Ryouta's leg had been hurting from overwork so I took a step. But of course, he ended up winning anyway, which pissed me off even more. I remember thinking 'I'm going to fuck this kid up so bad. Especially his face. Fuck him up so bad that no one will ever even look at him again'."

Surprised by both the honesty and how casual Haizaki passed everything off, he couldn't help but urge the other to continue, "But then?"

Another shrug. "But then lover boy caught wind of it and showed up instead of Ryouta like a fucking knight in shining armour and told me to give up on getting revenge. Of course, I didn't back down and taunted him like an idiot, so he ended up knocking me off my feet with his fist. Unlike me, they were all so in love with basketball and each other it was just stupid. Now that I think about it, it was probably a dumb idea to try to meet someone with a foot injury so far away from the change rooms."

Kagami raised a brow skeptically. "And you just left it at that? I find it hard to believe that someone as prideful as yourself just left Kise alone after getting punched once."

Haizaki scoffed. "I thought about it, still do sometimes. All the things I could've done to Ryouta for revenge…but there were several rather discouraging factors to it. First, you've never seen Daiki mad. That guy's just plain murderous when he's pissed. Second, Ryouta went missing before I could test out my ideas. And third, I got some satisfaction after when I heard the two arguing because of what happened."

\--

" _Aominecchi, why'd you do something stupid like punching Shougo-kun? Have you even thought about what could happen if people find out?"_

" _Shut up! He pissed me off! It's not like he ever gave a damn about basketball or rules anyway. He got what he deserved. Why are you getting pissed off at me for helping you out anyway? Look at your stupid foot! I should've punched him twice! And another thing, stop calling him by his first name in such a friendly manner!"_

" _I'll call him whatever I want! Shougo-kun is Shougo-kun! Who cares? Ugh, why are you such an idiot? Did you think I wanted you to do something like that after I told you?"_

" _Why would I care about what you wanted? Just shut up already or I'll drop you! You're so annoying!"_

" _Then do it! –ow! I can't believe you did that! You stupid ganguro!"_

" _Oi, what'd you just call me? Say it again and I'll fucking kill you, you idiotic model!"_

_\--_

"Yeah, that was really satisfying to hear. I did consider ratting Daiki out, but you can't help but respect a guy who's that strong both in and out of the court…not to mention you really have to respect a guy who got to bang a model. So I consider that my good-guy moment. Ryouta though…I guess he was strong in the end, but thinking about him too much still pisses me off."

Holding up a hand, Kagami frowned. "Wait, hold up. 'Got to bang a model'?"

Grey eyes blinked. "Oh, you didn't know? Ryouta practically threw himself at Daiki, probably spread his legs and all. You'd have to be daft or blind to turn down a model. I mean, if you so much as showed that kid's picture around here, all the inmates would have a field day. Just saying." Blowing a bubble and popping it, he glanced over at him. "So you still haven't told me why you came all the way out here to listen to a story about Ryouta. Don't tell me he came back?"

"He's dead."

Haizaki froze for a moment. Eyes wide, he sat up in alarm. "Dead? What? Whoa, wait! You're not trying to push the blame onto me, are you? Oi, I've been in here for months now! There's no way I could've done anything to him!"

He frowned to himself. Watching the other's reaction, he appeared genuinely surprised by the news. As much as he disliked Haizaki and wanted to pin Kise's death onto him, it didn't look possible. And even if it was, it wouldn't be doing Kise justice. "The murder was committed years ago."

"Murder? Seriously? Someone  _killed_  Ryouta? Who would've thought…wait, years ago? I guess that makes me a suspect then?" Running a hand over his braids, he let out a huff in disbelief. "Shit. Like I said, I wasn't fond of the pretty boy but I didn't  _hate_  him."

"Tell me about your whereabouts on the night of the Winter Cup banquet."

The other crossed his arms. "The banquet? Oh, right, they had one after the tournament, didn't they? I didn't go. After we lost that match and Daiki beat me up, I went home and that's where I stayed for about a week. I live on my own so I have no alibi. But you'd have to agree that it's kind of hard to show your face and black eye at a banquet after you've offended the pretty boy that everyone loves. Where was Ryouta found anyways?"

"Over at Suginami-ku."

Resting his head on the palm his hand, Haizaki frowned. "Wait, if he was dead already, wouldn't I need a car to transport the body? Or are you suggesting I lured him over there with my charm because we were such close friends and all?"

Kagami idly flipped through the pages in his notebook, ignoring the other's sarcastic suggestion. "Well, looking at your long history of car-jacking and similar crimes, transportation of a body wouldn't have been all too big of an issue, now would it?"

"Ah damn, my criminal record's really working against me, isn't it? I'm telling you though. I didn't do it. Besides, I didn't start car-jacking until I was like, 18. I remember because they threatened to hold me back a grade if I got caught again. Ah…but then again, 18 was when I first got caught. For all you know, I started way before that and just never got caught. Isn't that right, detective?"

_He's enjoying this too much. Besides, he's too prideful to commit a homicide and hide it. If anything, he'd probably be gloating about it to everyone._

Not wanting to let the other gloat to other inmates about being a suspect in a homicide case, Kagami tidied up his papers. "I think that'll be all for today. Thanks."

Haizaki blinked. "Huh? That's it?"

"Yeah, I'll come back if anything else comes up."

Clearly a little irked at suddenly being cut short, Haizaki shrugged as nonchalantly as he could. "Sure. Bring more gum with you next time and maybe a pack of fags, eh?"

Getting up, he motioned for the guards to let him out. "Yeah, I wouldn't count on it."

\--

When Kagami got back to the office, he found Tatsuya sitting around, working on the stack of paperwork on his desk. The other detective smiled and waved at him. "Taiga, you're finally back. So how'd it go?"

Letting out a loud sigh, he plopped down in his desk. "Most annoying convict I've ever had to deal with. I don't think he did it though. Too boastful. There's no way he would've hidden the body so carefully, especially since he would've been 16 at the time."

"A no go, hmm? That's too bad. Sorry I haven't been around lately. This case is taking longer than I thought it would. So what'd you need? Did you want to talk the case over?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking that it might help."

His usual partner nodded back and walked over to join him at his desk. "I read your mind then. Go on, tell me what you've got so far. Wait, Alex, did you want to join in the discussion instead of eavesdropping over there?"

Poking her head out of the office, their superior laughed. "Nice eye, Tatsuya." Pulling her chair out to join the two, she sat down. "Alright, bring it on, Taiga."

Taking the material out of his bag, he laid it out on the desk and pointed to a photo of the blond. "This is the victim, Kise Ryouta. Sixteen at the time, he was a high schooler, a well known model and basketball player. He was a member of the Generation of Miracles and was reported missing on the morning of December 6th, but I think it's safe to say he went missing on the night of the 5th, sometime after the banquet for the Winter Cup championship. Here's a tape of a practice match if you want to watch. I'll need a copy of this and the photos made for the file so I can return these originals to Kuroko."

At the end of the tape, the other two both let out appreciative noises. Alex practically cooed at the screen. "Aw, he's adorable when he cries. Are there any more videos? Or photos? Not the modelling ones, I want to see him cry again."

"Oi, Alex, stop fooling around," Kagami scolded her as she grabbed the remote, hit rewind and paused at Kise's crying face. "Focus, you two! Moving on! These are his teammates during his time at Teikou Middle, and here's a photo of his teammates at Kaijou High."

Tatsuya looked over at the photos and pointed to one of the figures. "Oh hey, it's Atsushi."

Kagami blinked. "Atsushi? Oh, Murasakibara? You know him?"

A nod. "He's a pâtissier at the bakery I frequent, though he seems to taste-test more than he bakes. I didn't even know he played basketball, but at least that partially explains his height. Why don't you come with me the next time I go?"

"Sounds good, just let me know when." Going back to the topic at hand, he continued, "At the time, the victim lived at home with his parents. They both work, a normal, rather conservative couple. He also had two older sisters. And although they're very cooperative, they weren't really able to provide me with very much information about his private life in or outside of school. I'm not sure if it was just because they weren't a very close family or what."

Alex shrugged. "You'd have to ask someone who was close to him. Did they say anything else?"

"They mentioned that they were worried about their son overworking himself sometimes, but when they asked, he'd respond with 'I'm having a lot of fun with everything I do so don't worry'. And apparently, he looked happy so they never questioned it. He'd told them that he'd be sleeping over at a friend's for the duration of the championship since it was closer to the stadium and had called the night of the banquet to tell them that he'd be staying for another day or two and not to worry about him."

"He sounded like a thoughtful boy."

Kagami nodded. "From what I have on the victim so far, he was an outgoing teenager, very trusting, got along well with just about everyone. His whereabouts on the night of his disappearance are still unknown. Apparently, he'd left his friend's place for a while presumably to go run down to the convenience store, but I should be able to get more info on that soon. As of the moment, the last person to see him alive was either Aomine Daiki. That is, unless the victim made it to the convenience store, in which case the store clerk would be the last person. I'll be talking to Aomine as soon as I can. I also know that the victim attended the Winter Cup banquet and didn't act any differently than usual. Here's the last photo taken of him before he went missing."

Tatsuya raised a brow. "Looks like a pretty expensive suit for a teenager."

"According to Kuroko, he got it from one of his photo shoots which makes sense. So far, I've talked to his parents and two of his teammates from Teikou; apparently they stayed in touch because of basketball. Then today, I saw a guy from Teikou who seemed to have a grudge against the victim but didn't seem to know that Kise was dead until I confronted him about it. He admitted to playing foul during the championship but stepping on someone's foot and killing them are two very different things. And his criminal records have never included any murderous intent. I'll be talking to the victim's sempai later today and then Murasakibara with Tatsuya whenever. Oh, and there are two other acquaintances of the victim's from middle school, one of which may have had an intimate relationship with him. And I'm hoping to see this Akashi person soon as well."

His boss nodded. "Sounds like you'll be busy for the next little while then. Just give us a shout if you need help, okay?"

He dipped his head. "Of course. Now the victim was found in the upper pond of Zenpukuji park over at Suginami-ku. Assuming that the victim was dead prior to the disposal, the perpetrator would have to have access to some mode of transportation. If it was an adult, then they could easily have used their own car. If it was a teenager, then it would probably mean they either stole a car or had an adult willing to assist and cover for them. It could've been a parent, a sibling, a teacher, anyone really. And according to the latest report, they found small a small fracture on the victim's hyoid bone leading them to believe that the victim had been strangled and rendered unconscious at some point before ending up in the lake. There's still no definitive proof to say whether or not he died by strangulation and whether he was conscious or not when they reached the lake. The evidence is too old to determine whether or not he was sexually assaulted."

Tatsuya frowned. "The poor kid. Strangulation, hmm? A crime of passion…so it was probably someone he knew. The only issue is that with him being a well known model is that it could've been a family member, a friend or even a fan."

Kagami nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true. Apparently even when he was in middle school, there have been incidents of him being followed by stalkers."

Alex tapped her finger on her cheek and hummed thoughtfully to herself. "If it was a fan, it'd have to be a pretty hardcore one, and probably male. For a girl or even a woman to strangle an athletic teenage boy of his build, she'd have to be pretty strong herself. I can get started with his fan club database and see if there were any fanatical men. His agency should still have those records and I'll try to do it discreetly, okay?"

Tatsuya smiled. "And I'll see what information I can dig about the Winter Cup that year when I have the time and see if I can track down his phone records."

"Alright, thanks, you two." Then glancing at the clock, he got up and quickly threw his things into his bag. "Ah crap, I have to run. I told Kuroko I'd meet him at Maji Burger soon. Alex, since you don't seem to have anything important to do right now, can you make a copy of the photos and the tape? Thanks!"

"Oi, Taiga! That's no way to talk to your boss!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun extra bit: When Alex went through the fan club database, everyone from the Generation of Miracles and the Kaijou High team's names appeared on the list. And so did Haizaki's name (he signed up multiple times and deleted his account due to embarrassment but then resigned up again..it was a vicious cycle).


	5. Chapter 5

Running all the way to the burger joint, the detective took a deep breath and looked around. "Oh good, it doesn't look like he's here yet."

"You're late again, Kagami-kun. You're not a very punctual person, are you?"

Kagami let out a yelp when the smaller man appeared next to him with his usual blank expression. "Damn it, Kuroko! How long have you been here? You really have to stop doing that! One of these days, I'm going to have a heart attack and then you'll be sorry for causing my death!"

Kuroko didn't look particularly moved by his statement. "It's not my fault you didn't notice me standing here."

"Well, maybe next time, instead of randomly appearing next to me, you could wave at me or call out to me or something! Isn't that how a normal person would do things?"

"But I've been standing here this whole time now. You just came along and stood next to me without ever seeing me."

Letting out a huff, Kagami began walking off with an offhanded wave. "Fine, my bad. Whatever. Let's go."

The blue haired boy raised a brow. "Your apologies aren't very sincere, Kagami-kun. Even the children at the nursery are better at faking apologies than you."

Frowning, he protested, "I already said I'm sorry so just drop it, Kuroko!" Inwardly, he knew how childish he must've sounded to the other but at the moment, he really couldn't have cared less.

Kuroko shrugged. "Fine. Are you planning on meeting all of the members of the Generation of Miracles?"

He nodded. "That's the idea. Why? What's wrong? Apparently a guy I work with knows Murasakibara, so I'll probably go pay him a visit soon."

"I was just thinking that if you're going to see Murasakibara-kun, it'd be better to find Akashi-kun first. It'll make the process smoother, that's all. Murasakibara-kun will cooperate better with you if Akashi-kun tells him to. I've already contacted him, but he told me that he's not in town at the moment."

Blinking, he decided to trust the other. "Alright, let's try to meet Akashi soon then, since I'm not sure when we're going to find Murasakibara. But as for now, this next person we're seeing: Kasamatsu Yukio, the former captain of the Kaijou High. All I really know is that he was really cooperative on the phone. What was his relationship like with Kise?"

"They looked quite close to me. He kept an eye on Kise-kun and kept him in line. Kise-kun told me that Kasamatsu-sempai was his closest friend at Kaijou even though I didn't ask him, and that he reminded him of being at Teikou."

Kagami raised a brow. "Why? Was Kasamatsu as abusive as you guys?"

"Maybe? I remember him kicking Kise-kun when he spent too much time waving at his fans. I think it was his way of being protective."

_So he was verbally and physically abused by his friends and it made him nostalgic? Just what kind of life did he lead?_

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, unsure of how to respond to that. "Well, Kasamatsu said he'd take a couple hours off work to meet us over at his place. So let's go see if he's got anything that could help the case."

\--

The entire way there, Kagami was trying to come up with a softer way to break the news to someone that a person who'd been dear to them had been killed. As they sat on the train, Kuroko snapped him out of his thoughts. "So how did your meeting with Haizaki-kun go today? I didn't get along well with that person."

Kagami frowned. "I really didn't like the guy either, with his cocky attitude and all that. Apparently he was home that day."

"That's right, I don't remember seeing him at the banquet that night. So he was home, hmm?"

"He did admit to stepping on Kise during their match though."

Kuroko nodded. "I remember that. It happened to quickly that the ref didn't notice. Haizaki-kun was never really one for playing by the rules. Apparently on the court, he was telling Kise-kun about that one time he stole his girlfriend and apparently threw her aside after they went all the way. ("Wait, what? This was in middle school, right? Wouldn't he have been a little young to be having sex? Just what kind of school was Teikou?") Kise-kun still managed to win the match though. And then Aomine-kun punched him to stop him from doing any further damage." He glanced down for a moment. "Kagami-kun, when it comes time for you to meet Aomine-kun…"

He raised a brow as the smaller male trailed off uncharacteristically. "Hmm? What about it?"

"Never mind, it's nothing important. Look, this is the stop, right?" Getting off the metro and out of the station, Kuroko looked over. "You look nervous, Kagami-kun. You'll be fine. I don't think anyone's expecting you to break the news in a refined way. And it's going to hurt no matter how you say it."

"Thanks, I think? I can't tell if you're trying to be comforting or taking a jab at me." Taking out a piece of paper from his pocket, he looked down. "Let's see, he should be at that building just over there on the fourth floor."

\--

Knocking on the door, the two of them stood back and waited as footsteps rushed towards the door. A moment later, a man with dark hair and large eyes emerged. "You must be the detective and-huh? Kuroko? How unexpected! It's Kuroko, right? What are you doing here? Are you on the force as well?"

"Hello, Kasamatsu-sempai. I'm not on the force, I'm just here to assist Kagami-kun on this case."

"I see…oh, please, come on in. I'll bring you two tea."

Nodding, Kagami stepped inside. "Thanks." Taking a seat in the living room, he could sense the nervousness emitting from the man in the kitchen. Then returning with a tray of cups of tea, Kasamatsu set it down on the table in front of them. "Thank you. Do you need to head back to work soon?"

The older man shook his head. "No, I've got a while. I'm the owner of a jazz café now, so it's not like anyone can say anything to me. Besides, I've got a person covering for me right now."

Kagami gave a slight smile. "A jazz club? That sounds cool. Not playing basketball anymore?"

"I've always liked music and I used to play the guitar, so after university, I figured, why not try it out? And then it ended up like this. I still try to shoot hoops every now and then when I have free time, but that doesn't happen often." He let out a soft laugh. "Not everyone can get drafted into a professional team right after high school like Aomine. I pretty much stopped playing after the Winter Cup. Had to study for my entrance exams and all, you know? Do you play, detective?"

"For fun, yes. At the moment, I'm still trying to figure out if Kuroko really played basketball."

"Oh, he definitely did. On the court, he might take a while to notice, but he definitely plays. How've you been, Kuroko?"

Taking a sip of tea, Kuroko replied easily, "I've been fine. I work at a daycare now and am helping Kagami-kun during my spare time."

"That's good to hear. So, on the phone, you said that this was about Kise? What happened to him?" Kagami nodded silently. Fists already clenched in anticipation, he let out a little tightly. "It's okay, detective. Just tell it to me straight. It's already been ten years…he's dead, isn't he? I can't imagine any other reason you'd come here for."

"I'm sorry…"

Clearly trying his best to remain composed though unable to contain his grief, Kasamatsu shook his head and wiped his tears away with his sleeve, trying his best to keep his breathing steady. "I always knew that the probability of him showing up again after the first year was low, but…but I guess I always hoped… Sorry, it's just different…thinking about it and finding out for real…"

Unsure of how to comfort the man, all he could do was sit there and stare at his cup of tea. Glancing over at Kuroko, he could see the shorter man reaching out. "Kasamatsu-sempai, I'm very sorry for your loss. I know Kise-kun was really fond of you."

Hunched over with both hands covering his face, trying to wipe away his falling tears, the former team captain let out a weak laugh. "What are you talking about, Kuroko? That idiot used to whine about you not joining our team at least twice a day. Out of all people, I never imagined that Kise…he was like a big, stupid dog. How could anyone…?" Shoulders shaking as he held back his sobs, he shook his head to himself. "Kise can't be dead…"

As Kagami sat there, he tried to imagine what it was like, finding out a decade later that a close friend had died. To never be able to speak or be spoken to by someone again…so far, everyone he'd met had had to go through that experience. Glancing over at Kuroko, he wondered if the stoic young man had cried for his friend after he found out. Somehow, watching Kise's mother and watching Kasamatsu cry felt different. Sure, they were both terribly heart wrenching, but at the same time, it was only natural for mothers to cry over their children whereas Kasamatsu was a grown man who'd only spend a very short amount with the blond. How much of a bond must there have been between the two for him to cry this hard over Kise's death even after a decade?

Kuroko tapped him on the arm. "Kagami-kun, maybe we should come back on another day…"

Taking a deep breath, Kasamatsu sat back up and wiped his eyes again. "No, please don't. I'll be fine. I-I really didn't mean to break down like that. This is so embarrassing…"

The smaller man held his hands up to stop the other. "No, I didn't mean it that way, Kasamatsu-sempai. I know it's a lot to take in. We can always come back."

Having stopped his tears, the older man shook his head resolutely. "No, I'll just get pissed off at myself if I use this time being useless and crying instead of helping you guys out. Honestly, I didn't even know Kise for that long, but he was always there during my last year at Kaijou…always attracting crowds and always being loud. I remember thinking 'This is so annoying!' all the time. But that's Kise..."

Kagami had to admire the other's strength. Nodding, he asked, "What do you remember about the Winter Cup banquet?"

Looking up, Kasamatsu pinched the bridge of his nose in thought. "Not very much. Kise was running around and being loud as always. He dragged me to the Shuutoku table and I ended up talking to Takao for a while before making my way back to our table. Takao was also the one who told me about Kise's disappearance later that night. Then, after the banquet ended, we all went our separate ways and after that, I never saw Kise again." He paused for a moment before frowning. "Oh, that's right, I have some of him things here somewhere. Maybe they'll be of some help." Quickly getting up, he excused himself for a minute before turning with a box. "At the end of the year, we had to clean out all the lockers. No one knew what to do with Kise's things so I took everything with me. I'd hoped I'd be able to return them to him someday."

The two of them exchanged glances before getting up to see the contents of the box. There was a surprising amount of non-basketball related things. "No change of clothes?"

Kasamatsu shook his head and began digging through the box of what could only be described as 'stuff'. "No, we took everything with us to the Winter Cup. The coach didn't like us leaving our clothes in our lockers for too long since it'd stink everything up. They're mostly photos and copies of basketball magazines and copies of magazines that he featured in. There were a couple markers in case he ran into fans, his shampoo and body wash, deodorant, hair gel, a comb and a mirror, cologne, all this stuff he got from his fans, a couple of love letters and written confessions, these random 'lucky item' things he got from Midorima from Shuutoku, lip balm, a pencil case, water bottles, and here are a couple wristbands and jewellery. Geeze, I never noticed before but that guy was like a girl. Just look at all this stuff."

Light blue eyes blinked. "That's just like Kise-kun. He did this back at Teikou as well. Everything smells like his shampoo and cologne."

With the contents of Kise's locker strewn about the floor, the two of them slowly began sifting through everything. And while he wasn't sure how much help it'd be towards solving the case, it definitely taught him a lot about Kise as a person. Looking through the photos, he found a copy of the one of the Generation of Miracles and one of the Kaijou High team. Then there were individual shots of lower quality, probably taken with his phone. There was one of him and Kasamatsu captioned 'Me and Kasamatsu-sempai!' with stars drawn all over. Sifting through them, he raised a brow when he found one of Kuroko with 'A rare photo with Kurokocchi!' written on it and passed it over to Kuroko. "Check it out, Kuroko. It's you and Kise with you looking as unresponsive as ever."

Silently taking the photo, Kuroko stopped going through the pile of gifts from fans and stared at it. Kasamatsu looked up from digging through the box. "Oh, if you find anything of yours, Kuroko, feel free to take it home. I wouldn't be surprised if Kise somehow got his hands on other people's things."

After a while of sifting through everything Kagami handed the stack of photos over to the other and asked, "Would you mind if I took these photographs with me along with a couple other things? I'll go make copies and return them to you."

Looking through the photographs himself, the older man shook his head. "I'll only need the Kaijou ones back. These ones from Teikou, you can keep or distribute them to their secondary owners or his parents, whatever you feel's appropriate, detective. As for the rest of this stuff, if they won't be of use to you then I think I'm going to chuck it out since I know now that he won't be coming around to collect it." He gave a weak smile as he looked around at all the things.

Exchanging glances with one another, he and Kuroko decided that the poor man had had enough for a day. "Just one more thing before we leave, can you think of anyone who would hurt Kise? Or anyone he wasn't getting along with around the time of his disappearance?"

"Not really. Every other time Kise came up to me, it was to cry about someone being mean to him, but it was never serious. Oh, there was that Haizaki guy. I really hated his guts, but we never saw him again after that one match against Fukuda. Let's see, on the night of the banquet, he was staying at Aomine's…" There was slight disapproval in the former captain's voice, evident even now. "I didn't really like it, but since Seirin managed to beat Touou during the first round, I didn't have any reason to object. He did mention that Aomine was on edge about something, but I can't imagine what it could've been.

"Actually, Kise was a little on edge as well, but to be honest, I'm not sure if that was real or just my imagination anymore. For all I know, it wasn't even related to the case. Nothing else comes to mind, sorry. I can tell you though, that no one on the Kaijou team could've done it since aside from Kise, we were all staying at a nearby hotel that'd been booked for teams coming from outside of Tokyo. For pretty much the entire night, we were together, trying to come up with training plans for the New Year until I got the call from Takao. If I'd forced Kise to stay at the hotel with us, none of this would've happened. I should've looked out for him..."

The detective frowned. "Don't say that. There's no way you could've predicted that something would happen to him on that night."

Walking them to the door, Kasamatsu took a deep breath. "Actually, I have a favour to ask, detective."

Kagami blinked, "What is it?"

"Please let me be the one to break the news to the guys from Kaijou. I…I was the team captain at the time, so I'd rather be the one to tell them. That way, we can decide how to commemorate Kise as a team…and how to properly mourn for him."

"…can anyone vouch for your alibi?"

"Yes. Anyone on the team and if the hotel kept their surveillance videos, then they'd have tapes of us sitting around the longue, discussing our training plans."

Kagami nodded. "I'll look into that and give you a call afterwards. But please don't mention it to anyone until I call you and tell your guys not to leak any of this to the media. We're trying to get as much done as possible before they get wind of it. I suspect it won't last for much longer though."

Kasamatsu bowed gratefully. "I understand. Thank you very much, detective! I'll wait for your call then. Please find who did this to Kise…"

Not wanting to make any empty promises, Kagami dipped his head. "We'll do our best. Thank you for your time and cooperation. I'll be keeping in touch."

\--

On the metro ride back, Kagami sat there silently, unable to think of how many hearts the death of Kise Ryouta shattered. His heart sank every time he had to break the news to someone, knowing that he was changing people's lives for the worse. It made him wish he knew what to say to bring them some comfort, but he couldn't even tell them that Kise died without suffering. Thinking about the dazzling boy, there was nothing he wouldn't give to bring the boy back if only to give him back to all his loved ones and to stop their tears. He let out a deep sigh.

Kuroko glanced over at him and said gently, "I thought you handled that well, Kagami-kun."

He looked over and sighed again. "Thanks, Kuroko. Somehow, telling people is the most exhausting part. I don't know how many more of these I can handle emotionally. I guess they were all really fond of Kise…"

"Kise-kun loved the world and in return, the world loved him back. I think it's quite natural. Kise-kun was very dazzling and you just get swept along by him."

Noticing that Kuroko was still holding onto the photo of him and Kise, he placed a hand on the other's head. "Hey, Kuroko?"

"What is it?"

"Have you properly cried for Kise yet? It's not healthy to bottle everything up inside, you know?"

Turning his gaze to the photograph, Kuroko spoke resolutely, "…I'll mourn for Kise-kun after we find the person who did this."


	6. Chapter 6

"You know, Kuroko, you really don't have to be here. Go enjoy your weekend."

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and they were all sitting around the office, sorting through evidence. Earlier, he received a message from Kuroko.

\--

' _I have today off. Do you need any help today, Kagami-kun? I can come by.'_

' _It's up to you. We're just going to sort through evidence that the other two compiled. Apparently they managed to get a car-full. If you have other things to do, go have fun instead.'_

'  _I'll drop by then.'_

_\--_

Kuroko shrugged. "I didn't have anything planned today so it's alright. How much evidence did you guys get anyway? You made it sound like quite a big job. And why are you holding a frog puppet, Kagami-kun?"

"Uh, that Midorima guy told me that it was my lucky item so I went and…" As the words left his mouth, Kagami realized just how ridiculous he sounded and the embarrassment hit him. Just how did he get so caught up in all this fortune telling stuff anyway? "Never mind that though! I'm not sure just how much evidence we have. But those two went out to the car with a hand truck so…"

Suddenly, Alex returned with a wide grin on her face. "Taiga, we're back! Look at all the stuff we compiled for you! Aren't you excited? Think of it as an early Christmas present!"

Turning around, his jaw dropped at the sight of cardboard boxes piled up on the hand truck that Tatsuya was struggling to wheel into the office. "Seriously? All that? How'd you two manage to get that many boxes full of evidence? What'd you do? Break into his house and rob his parents?"

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Nope! Nothing like that. Actually, there isn't that much here compared to what we  _could've_  gotten."

Kagami raised a brow skeptically. "Why? Are the boxes empty?"

"Of course not, don't be silly, Taiga. They're all very full. Why else do you think Tatsuya's struggling so much right now? These are all just the victim's phone records. And what's more, this is only a month's worth of phone calls and messages. You weren't joking when you called him a social butterfly."

Staring at the boxes in disbelief, he nearly forgot about Kuroko. "O-oh, seriously? Phone records? Right, by the way, Kuroko, that's my boss, Alex. And the one behind the boxes is Tatsuya, the guy I normally work with."

The woman blinked and looked around in confusion. "What? Kuroko? The guy you've been working with? Where-whoa! Have you been here the entire time? I didn't notice you at all! Taiga, you never told me he was so cute! Hi, I'm Alexandra Garcia."

"Kuroko Tetsuya. Nice to meet you, ma'am."

Giving him a greeting kiss on the cheek, she smiled and pulled him into a friendly hug. "Are you here to help out? You're so sweet, helping Taiga out over the weekend and all! Since you're here, you can help them sift through all these records and I guess I can go look other things up then. You're so adorable, no wonder Taiga was muttering your name in his s-"

Quickly pulling his boss off the shorter man, he frowned, trying his best to stay calm though he was pretty sure that his face was as red as a tomato. "Oi, Alex, that's enough! What are you trying to do? Don't scare him off by molesting him! I still need his help, you know?"

She pouted. "What are you talking about, Taiga? It was just a kiss on the cheek! Don't be so stingy! I already toned it down, didn't I? Anyway, go help Tatsuya before he hurts himself!"

Sighing, Kagami walked over to help his partner and began carrying boxes back to his desk. "Sorry about that, Kuroko. She's always like that. That was her on her best behaviour already. I swear, one of these days, someone's actually going to file a complaint against us or something."

After returning the hand truck, Tatsuya returned and exchanged a brief introduction with Kuroko. "Hello, I'm Himuro Tatsuya, Taiga's partner. You're Atsushi's old friend, aren't you?"

Light blue eyes blinked. "Murasakibara-kun? We used to play basketball together but I didn't really keep in touch with him after high school. I heard you're acquainted with him now? How has he been doing?"

"He works at a bakery now but every time I see him, he's eating instead of baking." The brunet laughed. "Other than that, he seems to be doing quite well. Will you be coming with us to see him? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."

Kuroko nodded. "If I don't have work at the time, it'd be nice to see Murasakibara-kun again."

Tatsuya replied with a smile, "I guess we'll have to try to figure out a time that works for everyone then."

Turning back to Kagami, the shorter man asked, "Kagami-kun, why's your partner so much more professional than you?"

He frowned and smacked the other lightly on the head. "Oi, and just what's that supposed to mean? Just because he's more polite doesn't mean he's more professional. I can do this job just as well as anyone, you sadistic brat. Anyway, instead of taking jabs at me, why don't you help out and start sifting through these text messages and see if anything sticks out. Did Kise normally send out a lot of texts?"

Kuroko nodded. "I used to get at least ten from him daily and even more if he had something to do that day. I'd get one in the morning saying 'Good morning' and then a picture of his breakfast, and one about the weather, a picture of his lunch, a picture of one of his teammates, and random pictures of shoes and shops if he decided to go shopping, a picture of his dinner and then a 'Goodnight' text. That was a normal day's worth of text messages even though I'd only reply maybe once a day."

"Seriously? Even though you two went to different high schools?"

"I'm sure he did that to everyone from Teikou because Kise-kun was just that social."

"What was your relationship with Kise like? I never really asked you, did I? Other than ex-teammates and friends, was there anything else between you two?" Part of the reason he never asked was because he wanted the other's help on the case and it would've been unprofessional to enlist the help of someone who had an intimate relationship with the victim. And the other part was probably because he didn't want to find out whether or not Kuroko had any other feelings towards Kise for reasons he didn't want to consider, not even to himself. "Kise seemed awfully fond of you."

Expression blank as usual, Kuroko tilted his head slightly to the side. "Are you asking me if I had any romantic feelings for Kise-kun?" Kagami replied with a nod. "Kise-kun was affectionate towards everyone, especially people he respected. But no, I didn't like him that way. The way I saw Kise-kun was more like a friend or a…a pet dog."

In his shock, Kagami snuck a glance towards Tatsuya, wondering whether his partner had heard the incredibly sadistic statement Kuroko just made, but either Tatsuya didn't hear it or was pretending not to have heard since he merely continued scanning the piece of paper in his hands. "…a pet dog?"

Kuroko nodded in affirmation. "Yes, a pet dog. An affectionate and obedient one. I'm sure other members of the Generation of Miracles would agree." But then he rested his head on his arm in thought. "But romantically speaking, I can't imagine what it'd be like to go out with Kise-kun. It would probably be really difficult. During games and practice, Kise-kun belonged to the team, and outside of that, he belonged to everyone else - his agency, his fans. Even if I was to like Kise-kun, I think it'd get tiring really quickly, never being able to have him to myself."

Kagami blinked, not having expected such an answer. "Do you think he was aware of this?"

"Yes, he definitely was. Kise-kun was really good at reading people, so he was always on the lookout for any signs of disapproval from his teammates and friends. He was constantly worried about how people felt but he didn't have any intentions of giving up either basketball or his modelling job."

"Not the kind to be held back, hmm? So he knew how much of a strain he was putting on his personal relationships and tried to make up for it with text messages?"

"Well, he tried to spend as much time with everyone as he could. No one held it against him or anything. You can't really hold ill feelings when someone's clearly trying their best. Kise-kun used to stay later with Aomine-kun to practice more. On weekends, he had to wake up extra early to get to his photo shoots and interviews, then he'd invite people out for lunch. That was Kise-kun's normal schedule."

"That Kise really was an amazing kid, wasn't he? He really tried to stay in touch with you guys, just look at all these messages." The words 'golden boy' popped into his head as he began sifting through the pages in his hands, raising a brow as he read the texts out loud, trying his best to ignore the excessive use of emoticons and hearts. " _'Kurokocchi, today's weather's really nice! Kasamatsu-sempai's letting us out early. Would you like to grab a milkshake after school or something?'_

' _Sure, I think I can make it.'_

' _Yay! I love you, Kurokocchi! Marry me!'_

' _No thanks.'_

' _So mean!_ '"

Kuroko let out a nostalgic sigh. "That was a typical conversation with Kise-kun. It happened at least once a week."

"How about: ' _Midorimacchi! Good luck on your match today! Love you!'_

' _Go die'_

' _So mean!'_

' _Takaocchi, Midorimacchi just told me to go die!'_

' _Don't worry about it, Shin-chan's just tsundere (laugh). He actually meant to say thanks.'_

' _I see (laugh).'_

' _Kise, disregard Takao's message. You're both idiots.'_

' _You're so mean, Midorimacchi! I'm telling!'_ "

"That sounds like a normal conversation as well."

Kagami snorted. "Why do all his conversations end with you guys verbally abusing him and him going 'So mean!'? Wait, don't tell me, I don't want to know. It's got something to do with him crying, doesn't it? Why are you all such sadists?"

The other shrugged. "Because Kise-kun had a really nice crying face? I'm not sure what kind of answer you're looking for, Kagami-kun."

"Here's another one:  _'Aominecchi, can we go see that new movie this Saturday? Please?'_

' _No.'_

' _But why? Please, Aominecchi? I really want to see it! You're so mean! Please? Please? Please?'_

' _You're so noisy! Fine, we'll go see the stupid movie!'_

' _Seriously? You're the best! I love you, Aominecchi!'_

' _Yeah, I know._ '"

Kuroko didn't look impressed by his findings. "That's just a typical conversation between Kise-kun and Aomine-kun. Never mind year after year of this, you get used to them after the first week."

\--

Flipping through page after page of similar text messages, his eyes began blurring from all the emoticons and smiley faces. Skipping ahead to the last few pages, Kagami skimmed through the page before slipping it into his desk drawer discreetly. Then, blinking a couple times and stretching, he decided to give his eyes a break and began looking around. Alex was still in her office doing whatever she was doing, and Tatsuya was going through his box worth of records. Turning his attention to Kuroko, he saw the young man putting all his efforts into examining the text messages. He wondered what it was like, looking at old conversations he used to have with a friend and knowing that they'd never happen again. He wondered what kind of expressions they used to have on their faces as they typed up their replies in attempt to get a pouty ' _So mean!_ ' for a reply.

After a while of staring, he gave a start when he noticed that Kuroko was returning his stare. "Is something wrong, Kagami-kun?"

Kagami hastily shook his head. "No, I was just wondering whether you were okay or not, reading all these and stuff. It can't be easy for you, right? Do you need a break?"

The shorter male shook his head. "I'm okay. It's just surprising."

"What is?"

"How fast a person can adapt to things. I used to get countless messages and calls from Kise-kun. It took a while to get used to and then one day, they just stopped. And thinking back now, it probably took less than a week for me to get used to the idea that my phone wouldn't have five new messages waiting to be read whenever I checked it. Isn't it strange that we can get used to a friend's absence so quickly?"

Not liking the sadness in the shorter man's voice, he got up and pulled the other along. "Come on, now seems like a good time for lunch. You definitely need a break. Tatsuya, Alex, you guys hungry yet? I'll bring burgers back."

"I want a combo three with a strawberry milkshake!"

"A combo five with a coke for me, thanks."

\--

As they made their way back from the burger joint, Kagami looked up into the clear blue sky with bags of food in his arms. "I can't believe I'm going to spend my weekend reading one person's phone records. And I also can't believe his phone records are so ridiculous. But you know, from reading through those texts, I couldn't help but think: Kise was a really lucky guy, wasn't he?"

Kuroko blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, although you're all a bunch of sadists who take pleasure in making people cry, it was obvious that you all cared about him a lot. I think that makes him pretty lucky, don't you? To have so many people looking out for him. I'm sure Kise would've agreed with me."

Quietly, the other asked, "Do you think he knew?"

"Huh? Knew what?"

"That we cared about him…"

Thinking back to the last page of text messages sent from the day the blond went missing and even after that, Kagami nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure he knew. I mean, for one thing, I'm pretty sure he would've never put up with all the crap he did if he didn't know. And he would've never kept all those pictures of you guys in his locker if he thought it was all one-sided. You said so yourself, right? Kise was good at reading people, so he definitely would've noticed it."

Kuroko nodded appreciatively. "I guess you're right. But to be honest, I'm not sure I want to know who did this. I've heard of stories where people get killed for the most trivial reasons. What if Kise-kun was killed just because? And what if the killer feels absolutely no remorse for his actions? I don't know how well I'd take it."

"Well, regardless of how you take it, the most important part would to bring Kise's killer to justice, right? Even if the killer had the best reason in the world, that doesn't justify taking someone's life. There's never a good reason to kill someone. Besides, if he had a bad reason, then the sooner we find him and lock him up, the better. That kind of person shouldn't be allowed to wander the streets, right?"

Giving a small smile, the shorter male dipped his head. "Agreed. Thank you, Kagami-kun. I take back what I said earlier. You make an excellent detective."

His heart skipped a beat at the smile and was about to reply when the other's phone buzzed. "Hmm? What is it?"

"It's from Momoi-san. Apparently she and Aomine-kun will be back in Tokyo tomorrow night for a couple of days."

Everything he'd just been thinking off leapt out of his brain at those words. "What? Seriously? They're finally back?"

The shorter man turned his head away. "Please stop looking so excited, Kagami-kun. It's very out of character for you and it's kind of gross."

"Shut up! I was just thinking about how cool it'd be to play a match against someone on the national team, that's all. I doubt I'll be able to beat a professional player, but it'd still be fun…and an awesome story to tell later on." He shrugged. "He seems cool enough. It's not every day you get to play with or even meet the youngest person to have ever been admitted into a professional team and then into the national team. What kind of person is this Aomine guy anyway?"

"Aomine-kun…he's changed a lot since when I first met him. He used to remind me of you, actually. Actually, he's the reason Kise-kun joined the basketball team. At first, back at Teikou, when I was acting as his shadow, he was really outgoing and he loved basketball more than anyone. But the more he played, the stronger he got, and nothing challenged him anymore, so he started getting bored with the sport. We managed to beat him during the Winter Cup during the first year of high school, and for a while, it looked like the old Aomine-kun was back. That is, until Kise-kun went missing. After that, Aomine-kun kept playing basketball, but it wasn't quite the same. He kept getting better until he graduated and went professional and that's pretty much it."

Kagami understood that he was getting the watered down version of things but didn't press it. After all, he'd be able to ask the man himself tomorrow. "So he went from being a team player to a diva, basically? I change my mind, I get this feeling that I might not get along with him very well after all. And what about his relationship with Kise?"

"I don't know how much I should be telling you since it'd probably be better and more accurate if you hear it from Aomine-kun. They were close. Back at Teikou, they used to stay behind to play 1-on-1 matches all the time. Kise-kun admired Aomine-kun a lot, although during the Interhigh Championship, he did announce that he was going to stop admiring him. But to be honest, I'm not too sure since I wasn't there with them, so you're going to have to ask Aomine-kun himself."

He blinked. "How can you not be sure?"

"Well, they probably acted differently when I was around. Kise-kun was very easily distracted when he wasn't playing basketball."

\--

_Upon seeing the shorter boy, the blond beamed and immediately attached himself to the other, happily nuzzling his hair. "Kurokocchi! I missed you!"_

_Unfazed, Kuroko merely stood there and sighed, "Kise-kun, you're heavy and kind of sweaty. Please get off me."_

_Then Aomine approached them with an annoyed frown on his face. "Oi, Kise, get off Tetsu already! He's my partner, you know? Besides, I thought we were going to play another match."_

_A large grin. "We will, Aominecchi! But I just wanted to give Kurokocchi a hug first!"_

" _You have half a second to get off Tetsu and get back on the court before I change my mind about playing with you."_

" _What? That's not fair! There's no possible way for me to move that quickly!"_

_Aomine shrugged and began walking away. "Then I guess we're not playing anymore."_

_Kise immediately turned teary eyed and ran over to the other boy, trying to pull him back towards the court. "No! That's not fair at all! Aominecchi, you gave your word! Again! Again! Let's play again!"_

_Unbeknownst to Kise, the two them exchanged amused glances with one another before Aomine let out an exaggerated sigh and turned around. "Fine, fine, let's do it. Just one more game though."_

_\--_

"…it normally went something along those lines."

Kagami frowned. "Really? You two went so far as to teaming up to make him cry? Did you guys consider it a sport? Everyone in the Generation of Miracles was a sadist, weren't they?"

"You make us sound like such terrible people, Kagami-kun."

"That's because you  _are_  terrible people; even now, as adults."

Kuroko looked over at him seriously, ignoring his previous statement. "Of course, that was Aomine-kun back when we were in middle school. I can't really tell you what kind of Aomine-kun you'll be meeting tomorrow night. I don't know how much he's changed since high school, but Momoi-san will definitely be helpful to this case. She and Kise-kun got along really well."

He nodded and made a mental note of it.

"By the way, I've been meaning to tell you something, Kagami-kun."

"Oh? What is it?"

Pointing at all the bags of food in his arms, Kuroko spoke in his usual blank tone, "You should probably cut back on the burgers. Eating a dozen burgers for lunch is probably going to lead to a lot of health issues when you get older."

If he could, he would've smacked the other in the head. "Don't say something so pointless in such a serious tone! If I ever want your health advice, I'll ask for it!"

\--

Sitting back down at his desk after having finished his lunch, Kagami sifted through the pages he'd put in his desk and the additional ones Tatsuya had left for him with a frown on his face. Reading the messages sent the night of Kise's disappearance was nothing if not depressing.

' _Oi, Kise, did you get lost? Pick up your phone.'_

' _Kise, where are you, you idiot?'_

' _Kise-kun, are you alright?'_

' _Ryouta, everyone's getting worried.'_

' _Kise-chin, are you alright?'_

' _Ki-chan, where'd you go?'_

' _Kise, pick up your stupid phone already!'_

' _Everyone's out looking for you, where are you?'_

' _Call me, you idiot!'_

Putting the pages down, he let out a loud sigh and leaned back in his chair to stare at the ceiling. After thinking about everything, Kagami decided that he wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to Aomine. Having read so many conversations between the two, it was clear that there was an intimate relationship between them; one that went beyond basketball. As he sat there, he tried to come up with all the best and worst possible scenarios. "Hey, Kuroko?"

The other looked up from his stack of paper. "What is it?"

"What are your thoughts on Aomine being a suspect?"

Kuroko shook his head confidently. "I don't think he did it. I believe in Aomine-kun."

\--

The next evening, the two of them made their way to the train station where Momoi had said she'd meet them. Getting off, he looked over at Kuroko. "It's been a while since you saw her, right? Will you be able to recognize her?"

The shorter man nodded. "Yes, I have no doubt I'll be able to." As they went down the stairs, Kuroko pointed to a woman nearby. "There's Momoi-san."

Approaching her, she seemed to notice him first before eyes drifting down to Kuroko. Smiling, she waved at them before running over to pull Kuroko into a tight hug. "Tetsu-kun! It's been so long! I've missed you so much!"

Hearing the affection in the woman's voice and seeing how attractive she was, he could only gawk as she embraced the smaller man. Was she really the manager for a basketball team? And unfazed, Kuroko, looked over at him. "Kagami-kun, please pick your jaw up off the ground before flies fly into your mouth. Momoi-san, I don't believe you two have met. That's Detective Kagami-kun."

Momoi blinked and turned her attention to him though she didn't let go of the male in her arms. "Oh! You two came together? Hello, detective. My name's Momoi Satsuki."

Recomposing himself, he straightened up and returned the introduction. "Kagami Taiga. Nice to meet you."

The pink haired woman looked down curiously. "Tetsu-kun, why are you with a detective? Did something happen? It's not Aomine-kun, is it? Please don't tell me he did something stupid. Even though I tried to keep an eye on him as often as I could, he's just such a handful sometimes." She let out a sigh and shook her head in exasperation.

The two of them exchanged questioning glances before Kuroko shook his head. "No, Momoi-san, there's no need to worry. Aomine-kun isn't in trouble or anything. We should probably find him first though, it'll be easier that way."

Letting go, she frowned and crossed her arms. "I sent him an early warning, but I can't make any guarantees that he'll be ready. He's as irresponsible as always. I guess it's worth a try though. It'll be nice to crash his party anyway."

\--

As they made their way away from the station, the two ex-schoolmates began catching up with Kuroko talking about his job at the daycare and Momoi talking about her experiences with the professional basketball world. Deliberately walking a couple steps behind the pair, he couldn't help but notice how well they got along. But then Momoi turned around and quickly looked him over. "Kagami-kun, you play basketball, don't you?"

He blinked. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Momoi-san's really good at analyzing people, especially when it comes to basketball," Kuroko explained.

Momoi beamed and pulled the man into another hug. "I'm so happy you remember all this, Tetsu-kun! It's a specialty of mine. After being around basketball players for so many years, it's only natural that you pick up these kinds of skills."

"Oh? That's pretty cool. You were the manager of the Teikou team as well, right?"

The woman smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that's when I fell for Tetsu-kun."

He did a double take at that. "What? You fell for him?"

"Yep! Tetsu-kun was my first love after he gave me ice cream. We even went on a couple dates and he even got me a doll! He was such a sweetheart--still is, unlike Aomine-kun. I can only imagine how much the kids at your nursery love you. I definitely need to come by and visit you work some time!"

"You're more than welcomed to, Momoi-san. By the way, how  _is_  Aomine-kun doing?"

Momoi frowned, clearly not that keen on the topic they moved onto. "Aomine-kun…well, he's the same as always. He shows up to practice most of the time then leaves right afterwards. It's the same with matches, and he only comes to team outings when I force him to. I guess he's trying his best though. But still, it's just not the same. He even got to do a commercial once. But then after that one time, he rejected all the other offers. It was probably too much for him."

Raising a brow, Kagami asked thoughtlessly, "Why are you making up excuses for him? If he's being a jerk then he's being a jerk, right?"

Kuroko looked over at him. "Kagami-kun, you're being insensitive again."

His outburst caused Momoi to laugh, reverting back to her old nickname for her childhood friend. "He reminds me of Dai-chan back in the day: blunt and tactless. It's a little more complicated than that, Kagami-kun. I've known him since we were kids, so I have a soft spot for him, I guess. He's got this hidden charisma that just makes people want to follow him and help him succeed, even if he  _is_  an idiot."

"That still doesn't mean he can go around acting as he pleases," he grumbled.

Momoi smiled fondly at him. "It's not just me, right? Tetsu-kun, doesn't he remind you of Dai-chan back at Teikou?"

The shorter man nodded in agreement. "At times, he does."

He found it interesting that although the woman was obviously making references to when Kise was alive, she never explicitly mentioned his name even once.

\--

Arriving at an apartment building, his natural reaction was to look up in awe at the sheer size of the place. "Whoa, this place is huge! I guess that's pretty expected for professional athletes." They went into the building and up the elevator to the top floor. "Seriously? He lives in a penthouse suite? Isn't that a little over the top?"

Momoi gave a little chuckle at his reaction as they stepped out of the elevator. "This is how he likes to flaunt his status, I guess. I think he moved here because it's close to where we used to live." She pointed down to the streets below. "See that court down there? He used to play there on the weekend all the time. I think he still goes down there to shoot hoops every now and then."

Knocking on the door, the three of them waited for a while. Kuroko blinked. "Maybe he's not home?"

She huffed in annoyance. "No, he's definitely home. If anything, I'll just have to use the spare key he gave me and-"

The door opened and an annoyed man stepped out in nothing but his boxer briefs. "What do you want, Satsuki? You're being so annoying today! If you must know, I have a guest with a magnificent rack at my place right now." But then his eyes travelled over to his other guests and stared in disbelief before he exclaimed loudly, "Whoa! Tetsu, is that really you? It's been a while! You're looking good! Oh? And who's this guy with the eyebrows?"

"Hello, Aomine-kun. This is Detective Kagami-kun."

The man raised a brow. "Oh? A detective? Hi, I'm Aomine Daiki."

Trying to not look as amazed as he felt by the other's abode, Kagami cleared his throat and shook the other's hand. "Kagami Taiga."

Aomine ran a hand through his hair a little sheepishly. "Look, detective, Tetsu, I'm not sure why you're here. But again, sorry, but I've got someone over right now, and she's probably waiting for me so can we talk about whatever this is tomorrow instead? Satsuki's got my number."

His childhood friend frowned in protest. "But I told you hours ago that Tetsu-kun would be dropping by!"

"I must've forgotten or didn't read that text then." Turning to the shorter man, Aomine grinned. "Sorry, Tetsu, but a gravure model's waiting for me. I swear, her rack's even bigger than Sa-"

Much to his and Momoi's shock, Kuroko angrily snapped at the professional player and cut him off, "Aomine-kun, this is about Kise-kun."

Aomine gave a slight flinch and visibly froze at the mention of that name. Less arrogantly, he asked in a low tone, "And what about him?"

"They found his body, Aomine-kun. Kise-kun's really gone."

There was a pause before the taller man replied coldly, "Is that it then? Don't waste my time by telling me something I already know, Tetsu. And like I said, I'm busy right now, so go home. You too, Satsuki."

Then he stepped back inside and slammed the door shut.


	7. Chapter 7

Staring in shock as the door slammed shut in their faces, the two of them could only exchange concerned glances with one another. Next to them, Momoi could only shake her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I-I'm really sorry about Dai-chan's behaviour. He's…it's just… Ki-chan…did you really find him? He didn't…leave us?"

Kuroko nodded silently and walked over to comfort the woman while he led the two away from the apartment. "Come on, we'll walk you home."

Dipping her head, she allowed herself to be led away.

\--

Once they were out of the building, Kagami took a glance back over towards the penthouse apartment they were just at, thinking about the hostility they were met with. Then his attention turned to the two walking in front of him, wondering whether or not the woman was well enough to answer questions about the case. "I take it you and Kise were close?"

Nodding, Momoi answered, trying to suppress the quiver in her voice. "He was like a brother to me. He was my best friend."

Hesitating for a moment, he couldn't find a 'sensitive' way to word his next question. "Then…where did you think he was all this time?"

"Kagami-kun…"

"No, it's alright, Tetsu-kun." She let out a sniffle. "I thought…no, I was  _hoping_  that Ki-chan just ran away or something. It's not often, but you hear about it sometimes on the news, people leaving their lives behind."

He raised a brow. "You thought Kise left his life here behind to start again elsewhere? Why?"

A little guiltily, the woman admitted, "I-I know it's not like Ki-chan to run away, but about a month before he disappeared, he was struggling with something. I found it strange since he'd never had a problem with his workload before, but something was wearing him out and worrying him all the time. I asked him about it, but he just laughed it off. At one point, he even told me once that he felt like leaving everything behind and running away so I'd hoped that's just what he did."

Kuroko frowned though his voice remained gentle. "Kise-kun wouldn't have ran away no matter what he said. He hates letting people down more than anything."

Momoi nodded weakly. "I know. Or a part of me knew, but I wanted to accept it as the truth. Because Ki-chan running away still would've been the better alternative to…" she paused and made a gesture with her hand, "to  _this_."

Arriving at her apartment building nearby, they led the weeping woman to her door. Though he knew that he'd get called insensitive later, not wanting to let the chance pass by, Kagami asked the woman, "Could you tell Aomine to come to the police station tomorrow morning at 10? It'd help us out a lot to find out what he knows about the disappearance. And could you drop by later as well? Say…maybe around 2? Here's my card in case you need to reach me. Feel free to call me whenever. I know it's probably going to be difficult, but try to get some sleep."

"Thank you, I'll make sure he knows." Nodding, Momoi accepted the card and opened the door to her apartment before turning to Kuroko with a pleading look. "Tetsu-kun, Dai-chan…I tried so hard to convince him that Ki-chan was still out there somewhere for such a long time. He must've hoped for a miracle harder than anyone else."

Kuroko dipped his head understandingly. "I know. Please try to get some rest, Momoi-san. Would you like us to stay with you for a while?"

The woman shook her head and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "Thank you, Tetsu-kun, but I'll be alright. I think I need some time alone to collect my thoughts. Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow, Kagami-san."

\--

Watching the door shut, the two of them let out synchronized sighs as they made their way back down towards the exit. "That definitely could've went better."

Kuroko nodded in agreement. "Agreed."

Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Kagami asked as casually as he could, "What are your thoughts on Aomine's reaction?"

The shorter man shook his head. "I couldn't say for sure. He slammed the door in our faces within two minutes of our arrival."

The statement wasn't exactly one he could argue against so he moved on. "Fair enough. What about Momoi's then?"

"I think those were her honest feelings. From your perspective, you probably think that by looking at things logically, any one of us could've easily concluded that Kise-kun was probably gone. But like Kasamatsu-sempai said, it's different thinking it and actually having it confirmed. And like Momoi-san, I spent most of my time hoping for something highly improbable rather than acknowledging the most probable and logical possibility."

He shrugged. "I never said anything about logic and stuff. There's always more to a case than mere logic, especially when it comes to the death of someone close. I mean, it's only natural, isn't it? When you care about someone, it's only natural that you'd hope for the best even though it might not be logical or even probable in the least."

Turning the corner, Kuroko studied him with sharp blue eyes. "You still suspect Aomine-kun."

It was a statement, not a question.

Mentally, he wanted to spit out the statistic that most murders are committed by those close to the victim but refrained. "At this point, he's a suspect no matter what. His reaction to the news didn't exactly help but…" but he'd seen the flinch and had heard the way the man lowered his voice, "but I'm not here to jump to conclusions. I'm here to solve the case based on evidence and facts. Either way, I think he'll have a lot of valuable information on Kise. They both will, on the assumption that they remember to show up tomorrow. I don't doubt Momoi will, but I'm not so sure about Aomine after today. And you, you still believe in him?"

Kuroko dipped his head with certainty. "I do. Aomine-kun will definitely show up tomorrow. Although he probably won't admit it, after he calms down and gets a chance to think about everything properly, he'll be the one who wants this case solved the most."

Kagami let out a snort, trying to imagine the man taking the case or  _him_ seriously. "As of the moment, I find that very hard to believe."

"Yes, well, I guess you'll believe it when you see it. And by the way, don't talk bad about Kise-kun in front of him, he'll get upset. And you probably shouldn't upset him too much; Aomine-kun tends to act without thinking when he gets angry."

"I'll keep that in mind. You know, I still can't believe you were the first love of someone like Momoi."

"And just what's that supposed to mean, Kagami-kun?" Though the other's face remained blank, there was an edge to his voice. Whether it was a teasing edge or a threatening one, he couldn't really tell.

Shaking his head and averting his eyes, Kagami shrugged. "Nothing, nothing. Just, you know? Uhh, you know what? Never mind, it's not important. Forget I said anything."

"No, I'd like to know what you meant by that."

"I said just forget it!" He began pushing the other towards the train station. "Come on, let's get you home! You've got work tomorrow, don't you? Wouldn't want you to oversleep and show up late!"

\--

The next day, at the office, Kagami was heading down the hall, towards the office when an unfamiliar voice came through, causing him to pause in his tracks. There was an appreciative whistle. " _ **That's**_ _your boss? Not bad! Maybe I really should've become a cop instead if it meant seeing_ _ **those**_ _every day."_

Then Tatsuya's voice replied conversationally, " _You were going to be a cop? Really, Aomine-san?"_

Aomine? Checking his watch, he could only stare in confusion at the fact that the taller man had arrived over half an hour earlier than their appointed time  _and_ was currently standing in the office having a perfectly normal and borderline friendly conversation with his partner.

" _Yeah, sort of. If I didn't become a pro, being a policeman was my other choice. Or, at least it was something I'd considered once in high school. You know, way back in the day. I doubt it would've gotten anywhere."_

" _Well, maybe it's a good thing you didn't go down that path. Otherwise, you never would've broken all those records you did. Oh, by the way, don't even think about making any moves on the boss lady. She'd be more than happy to castrate you in the most gruesome way you can imagine."_

" _Seriously? She sounds like a beast…"_

Just then his phone buzzed. Taking it out of his pocket and flipping it open, he found a message from Momoi.

" _Kagami-san, has Aomine-kun arrived yet? I emailed him and left him messages but he never got back to me or returned any of my calls!"_

" _Don't worry. He's here already."_

Realizing how strange it was for him to be standing outside his own office, eavesdropping on the people inside, Kagami decided that now was as good a time as any to step back inside. The room immediately went silent at his presence. Exchanging brief pleasantries with Tatsuya, he glanced over at the other man for a moment, trying to study him. He could tell that the pro didn't get very much sleep last night. But whether it was due to his company or the news of Kise's death, he didn't know. However, there weren't any signs that indicated any tears had been shed.

Aomine pulled his lips taut and returned the stare in silence. He looked like he just came from a gym or a court, wearing basketball shorts and a simple t-shirt. After a long awkward moment, he rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh and led the other into the interrogation room. "Come on, let's get this over with. Don't read too deeply into what room this is. It's mostly just for privacy sake."

\--

Red eyes watched as Aomine took a seat wordlessly and stared at the desk with a bored look on his face.

"Hmm? So you're just planning to sit there and not say anything? That's really not going to work in this situation, you know?"

Still no reply.

_Geez, he's acting like a sulking teenager…_

"… _don't talk bad about Kise-kun in front of him, he'll get upset. And you probably shouldn't upset him too much; Aomine-kun tends to act without thinking when he gets angry."_

_Thank you, Kuroko. I guess I'll heed your vague and misdirecting advice._

After another minute of silence, Kagami decided to move onto the next plan since the other man was clearly not planning to cooperate with him. Resting his head on the palm of his hand, he opened his mouth and uttered a single word. "…Aomine _cchi_."

The effects were immediate and even better than he'd hoped for. The pro visibly took a sharp breath and dark blue eyes instantly became trained on him; first wide with shock, then narrowed in anger. "Don't call me that," Aomine muttered quietly, almost threateningly.

Kagami shot the other a condescending smirk. "Oh? Did that hit a nerve? That's what Kise used to call you, right? I was told he liked adding 'cchi' to people's names. Sounds pretty cute, actually. Don't you think so as well,  _Aominecchi_?"

Frowning, the taller man slammed his hands onto the table but then caught himself. "So what if he called me that? That doesn't give  _you_  the right to use my name so familiarly."

Well, he definitely seemed to be pressing all the right buttons. Inwardly, Kagami wondered whether or not he should be pleased by how naturally he was able to piss the other off. "So was the nickname a privilege reserved for Kise alone then? Why does it even matter? Was he special to you or something? You could've fooled me, what after your reaction last night and everything."

"Who cares what the reason is? It pisses me off when you call me that, that's all! Ugh, you're giving me goosebumps. How disgusting."

He let the insult slide, albeit reluctantly. For now, he was just glad that the other had snapped out of his silence. "But it wasn't gross when Kise called you that. You're into guys then? I would've never guessed it with your 'guest' yesterday."

Aomine's eyes flared at his mocking tone and decided to take him up on the fight. "Oh? You interested? Did you drag me into this room to fuck you or something? I guess I wouldn't mind doing your ass."

Irritated by the challenging and mocking tone in the taller man's voice, Kagami raised a brow, returning the forced grin. "Hmm? Was that an offer? You sound awfully experienced. But if anything, I'd be the one doing the fucking." As he spoke the words, he had to consciously suppress the goose bumps threatening to rise on his arms.

"I'd like to see you try, detective! I'll do you right here on this table! Hope you've got lube, you perverted cop, or else you won't be able to stand for a week." Aomine claimed audaciously, though the hairs on his arms were standing on end.

Their vulgar banter continued until Kagami scowled. "Fine, let's do it then!"

Goose bumps.

"Yeah! Let's do it! Right here, right now!"

More goose bumps.

The two glared at one another until they finally couldn't suppress the urge to shudder in disgust and turned away. The detective rubbed his arms, trying to sooth the little bumps on his skin. "Ugh…that was too disgusting…"

Aomine looked over at him, equally grossed out. "I can't believe you just came onto me."

He frowned at the accusation. "What? You started it!"

The taller man immediately let out a protest, "What are you talking about? I'm not even into guys. I need breasts. Breast! The bigger the better!"

"What about Kise then?"

At this, the other quickly averted his eyes and muttered something under his breath. He frowned in annoyance, hoping that he wasn't going to get the silent treatment again.

Not wanting to give the other man a chance to retreat behind his barrier of silence, he let out a loud sigh and spoke nonchalantly, "You know, I talked to Haizaki before and he said you two were sex friends? Is that why you don't want to talk to me about him? I guess if that's the case, then maybe you really don't have any useful information on him. Or are you just embarrassed about it?" A shrug. "I wouldn't worry about it. From the way Haizaki made it sound, Kise sounded like  _the_  person to go to for a good time. Who could really blame you for taking a turn? I mean, a model? Who could resist, right?"

Kagami mentally apologized to the blond for the slander. But at the same time, according to the Generation of Miracles members that he'd met, a 'good time' normally meant 'make Kise cry', which was something they did regularly, so it wasn't necessarily a complete lie.

This time, Aomine stood up, yelling angrily, unable to keep his temper in check, "Take everything you just said back! That bastard Haizaki's a piece of shit who doesn't know the first thing about Kise! Kise's nothing like that!"

Noting the use of present tense, Kagami raised a brow and snorted in disbelief. "Protective, aren't you? But how can you be so sure? Are you claiming to know Kise better than Haizaki?"

Aomine was glaring at him now, answering aggressively, "Of course I do! I know him better than anyone else!"

"How?"

"Because Kise's  _mine!_  He's never slept with anyone except  _me_  and we weren't friends with benefits or anything like that!"

"I thought you said you weren't into men?"

"Kise's different! There was only him! There was only  _ever_  him!" Aomine snapped.

There was a long pause. Now they were making good progress, he thought with some satisfaction.

Giving the other a moment to calm down and realize that he'd just been tricked into breaking his silence, he watched as the pro sat back down, glowering at him. "You bastard…"

With the ice broken and the hostility out of the way, Kagami shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't mind being called that by you. It really doesn't bother me. But more importantly, now that you're finally talking again, let's talk about your relationship with Kise."

"There's nothing to say" was the stubborn reply.

Leaning back and crossing his arms, he raised a brow skeptically at the statement. "Oh, I'd say there's plenty to say. Like the fact that you weren't just casual bedmates? Or how Kise's 'yours' and never slept with anyone else? Would you care to elaborate on that?"

Aomine frowned. "I meant exactly that. He's mine…or, I guess," he paused awkwardly, clearly not used to the concept of having to speak about the blond in the past tense, "…was."

"So you two were in an exclusive relationship?"

The basketball player looked uncomfortable talking about the topic. He rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly and muttered, "Yeah, sure. I guess that's one way to put it."

"When did your relationship start?"

"Why does it matter?"

Letting out a sigh, he felt like he was talking to a child. "It matters because your relationship and those who knew about it might have something to do with the case."

Aomine looked up in shock and disbelief. "What? Are you saying Kise died because of me? Because we were together?"

He shook his head. "Not necessarily, but it's a possibility that I have to explore. So let's start again. How and when did you meet Kise?"

Running a hand through his hair, Aomine let out a loud sigh. "I suppose I don't have much of a choice but to talk about it, now do I? It was the second year of middle school at Teikou. At that time, Kise already got his modelling job. His household isn't that well off. Both his parents work and he only ever got enough money for lunch, so one of his sisters suggested that he take up a part time job to pay for anything extra that he wanted. Thanks to that job, there was a lot of talk around school about this kid who was good at everything. I guess I was kind of curious about him too, just like everyone else, but not enough to go out of my way to find him. Not that I had to, I ended up meeting him on that day anyway…"

\--

_Running after the basketball that'd flown off somewhere, he heard a yelp and ran towards the sound. Evidently, someone had found the ball before he had. "Sorry, sorry, it was an accident!" Spotting a mop of gold hair and a figure clutching his head, he could only laugh lightly to himself. "Sorry about that. You alright?"_

" _Ow…I'm fine…" the blond muttered before getting back up and tossing the ball back._

_Aomine raised a brow when he recognized who it was. "Well, if it isn't the very famous and popular Kise-kun." The other boy looked at him as though expecting him to say something more. But he merely shrugged, his mind still primarily focused on the basketball match he'd left. "Thanks, see you!"_

_Quickly returning to the gym where he continued where he left off and won the practice match with ease. Then sensing someone's presence by the entrance, he turned to see the blond there. "Hmm? Do you still need something?"_

_Uncharacteristically hesitant, or so he thought after having just met him, the blond asked, "Could I…could I join the basketball club?"_

_Aomine blinked. "That's really sudden, but yeah, probably. I don't see why you wouldn't be allowed to. Do you like basketball?"_

_The blond grinned happily, eyes bright. "I get this feeling I'll come to love it!"_

_He could only smile back at the enthusiasm. "Good! Then you'll fit right in! I'm Aomine Daiki."_

" _Kise Ryouta. But I guess you already know that. Then…Aominecchi. ("Huh? Aominecchi? What kind of name is that?") If and when I become a regular, will you play 1-on-1 with me?"_

_Letting out a laugh at the other's eagerness, Aomine shook his head. "Don't get ahead of yourself there. I've heard that you're good at sports and all, but our basketball club's way more intense than the other clubs, so be prepared for that. But if, and only if you become a regular, then I promise I'll play 1-on-1 with you, okay?"_

_Kise nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I'll work hard and get there in no time! Don't forget your promise, okay, Aominecchi?" With a wave, the second year disappeared around the corner._

" _Seriously, how did it suddenly become 'Aominecchi'?"_

_Then suddenly, a voice came from behind him, "It looks like you have a new admirer, Aomine-kun."_

_With a jump, he whirled around. "Tetsu! Don't sneak up on me like that! Where'd you come from?"_

" _But I've been standing here for a while now…"_

_\--_

_A couple weeks later, Kise challenged Haizaki to a match and lost. He'd figured it was too early for him to challenge the other but what was done was done. Watching silently as the grey haired boy left with his new stolen girlfriend, Aomine approached the blond and crouched down by him. "Geez, you…really, what's the hurry? Challenging Haizaki before you're ready like that…"_

_There were tears pricking at his eyes as the blond looked up at him. "I-I just wanted to play with you guys and Kurokocchi earlier! And you promised to play against me once I became a regular!"_

_There was a sudden change in the atmosphere as he looked around at his team-mates' faces. 'Looks like he's awakened the sadists…' Though he had to admit, there was something very appealing about the model's crying face. 'Guess that's what makes him a model. Normal people shouldn't be able to look that good while crying.'_

_Aomine rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, but you can't just rush these things. You said you wanted to play with us, right? If you can't even beat Haizaki, then how can you expect to beat me? You're not going to just give up, are you? Hurry up and practice some more, then when you become a starting member, I'll play against you seriously, okay?"_

_More tears welled up in his eyes and he hugged the taller boy tightly. "Aominecchi, you're so nice to me!"_

" _O-oi, don't cry! Tetsu, come and help me! Don't just stand there and watch! That thumbs-up isn't helping either!"_

_At the mention of the other boy, Kise went and latched himself onto Kuroko, who had approached them to help Aomine instead. "Kurokocchi! I promise I'll work hard and get that starting position! Then we'll get to play together!"_

" _Kise-kun, you're sweaty and it's kind of gross. Can you please let go?"_

" _So mean!"_

_\--_

Aomine was tilting his chair back and staring at the ceiling as he reminisced about his past. "Another couple weeks later, he became a regular as expected. And then a few weeks after that was when those words came…"

" _Aominecchi, I like you…"_


	8. Chapter 8

_Their story revolved around basketball._

_He was skipping class and napping on the roof as usual when someone approached him, getting in between him and the sun and casting a shadow over him. Opening his eyes grumpily, he asked the intruder, "What do you want?"_

" _Aominecchi, you really shouldn't skip class so often."_

_That caused him to blink and sit up. "Huh? Kise? What are you doing here? What time is it? It couldn't be time for practice already. I couldn't have actually slept the whole day away, could I? I swear, it was lunch like, five minutes ago!"_

_Kise laughed and shook his head. "Lunch was half an hour ago. I was supposed to be on my way to ask one of the third year teachers for some video we're supposed to watch in class today, but decided to take a detour and see if you were up here."_

_Letting out a yawn, he frowned. "Why? So you could disrupt my nap?"_

" _No, that wasn't what I was aiming for. It's just that…" There was an uncharacteristic pause. It reminded him of the time Kise asked to join the basketball club. The model looked around, fumbling for the right words. "So I came to a realization recently and I think that I…"_

_Impatient, Aomine urged the other to hurry up so that he could return to his nap. "Hurry up and tell me already! What is this? A love confession?"_

_Amber eyes widened. "Y-yes! How'd you know?"_

_There was an awkward pause between the two._

" _Oh." That was the only word he managed to get out of his mouth._

_Looking equally sheepish, Kise kept his gaze trained on his feet. "Yeah, I just realized it myself a little while ago. I think I've come to like you, Aominecchi…"_

_Holding a hand up, he tried to piece his thoughts together. The other boy 'loved' just about everything and everyone, so what did he mean? "Wait. What about basketball?"_

_Kise blinked and tilted his head slightly. "Huh? What about basketball? I love basketball."_

_He raised a brow. "And Tetsu?"_

_There was a wide grin on the other's face as he answered enthusiastically, "I love Kurokocchi!"_

" _And everyone on the basketball team?"_

" _I like all of them too!"_

_Sighing at the other's excessive use of the words 'love' and 'like', he rested his head on his arm. "Then exactly what kind of 'like' are you talking about when you're talking about **me**?"_

_Kise's face quickly reddened as he averted his eyes. "The way I like Kurokocchi and Aominecchi is different."_

_Though Aomine was pretty sure he'd correctly understood what the other had meant by his words, he had to double check just in case. "So this is an actual love confession and not an 'I've come to realize that you're actually a decent guy' confession?"_

" _Yes. I mean, you're barely a decent guy most of the time," Kise blurted._

_"Oi, do you want to get punched?"_

_"Not really."_

" _Alright," he began slowly, "so now what? What do you want to do? Date or something?"_

_The blond looked over at him in surprise and blinked a couple times. "Huh?"_

_Aomine could feel his own face heating up as he let out an exasperated huff. "What's with that stupid face? You just confessed, didn't you? Well, I'm not saying no or anything yet. So what happens now? Most girls want to jump straight into dates, but I don't know what you want."_

_The confused expression on Kise's face didn't disappear. "Aominecchi, you…you don't think it's gross to be confessed to by a guy?"_

_Looking away out of embarrassment, he spoke in a low tone, "Not particularly. I mean, you don't have breasts or anything, but that doesn't make your confession particularly gross. Words and feelings don't have breasts so you can only judge them by their level of sincerity. Besides, it might not even work out since I'm pretty sure I only like girls. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm willing to give it a try and see if maybe I'll come to like you that way. Don't get your hopes up though."_

" _Aominecchi…"_

_There was a loud sniffle, causing him to turn his attention back to the blond in shock. "Wha…? Oi, why are you crying? You didn't even get rejected or anything! Stop crying already, Kise! If anyone sees you crying, I'll get in trouble with your fans, you know? Shouldn't you be happy right now, you idiot?"_

_Kise shook his head, wiping his eyes hastily. "I'm really happy! It was just unexpected, that's all. Aominecchi's so kind! I love you! I didn't expect you to take me seriously at all. It's like basketball, even though I just started a while ago, you play against me seriously."_

_Although he'd never admit it out loud, there was a feeling inside him that if he didn't take the blond seriously, whether it was in love or in basketball, he'd come to regret it later on in his life. He laughed. "Don't be stupid! I always take basketball seriously. Anyway, I'm just treating these things as seriously as you. I wouldn't have taken you confession seriously at all if you didn't look like you were about to run away and bawl your eyes out the entire time."_

_The blond huffed and let out a protest. "I didn't look like that! But I did think that my heart would explode or something, it was thumping so hard!"_

_Patting the other on the shoulder mock-sympathetically, Aomine let out another sigh. "Yes, yes, I realize that it must've been really difficult. But it's done and over with now, right? So what exactly are we supposed to do about it now?"_

" _Honestly, I hadn't thought that far ahead. Umm, for now, until you reach a decision about all of this, I really just want to play basketball with you," the model replied with his usual sunny smile on his face._

_Raising a brow, he couldn't help but chuckle at the simplicity of it all. "Basketball? I can definitely agree to that. Guess I'll see you at practice then. Oh, by the way, weren't you supposed to go get a video for your class or something? Won't they be wondering about why you've been gone for so long?"_

_Giving a jump, Kise's eyes widened as he bolted for the door to the stairwell. "Crap! I completely forgot about that! I have to go! See you at practice, Aominecchi!"_

_\--_

_For the rest of the day, all Aomine could think of was that very unexpected confession from his friend. Then he thought about how it'd be different from all the past relationships he'd had. Most of them ended the same way. It was either 'Sorry, you weren't the person I thought you were' or 'You clearly treasure basketball a lot and I respect that, but I need someone who'll make time for me'. And when asked to choose between a girl and basketball, he never failed to choose the latter. After all, basketball was constant whereas girls were fickle and mostly replaceable by other girls with larger breasts._

_He wondered if it'd be different with Kise. The blond already knew what kind of person he could be at his worst: blunt, insensitive, thick-headed, an academic slacker and aggressive. There'd be no disillusion there. And the basketball problem wouldn't be an issue since the other boy was just as passionate about the sport as he was, and spending time together wouldn't be a problem either since they were both in the same club. Humming to himself as he thought about it further, the whole idea wasn't that bad after all. "It might actually work out pretty well…"_

_The only problem now was to figure out whether or not he could come to like the blond that way. And while he was on that note, since when did Kise start liking men? Last he remembered, the blond had girls lining up to date him and he'd gone out with quite a few of them, including the one that Haizaki stole. Mentally, he decided that he'd have to ask the other about it later. Or maybe he'd ask Momoi since the two of them had been talking a lot since Kise became a regular._

_Letting out a sigh, Aomine frowned up at the sky. If only Kise had breasts, then that'd solve **everything.** _

_**\--** _

_The two of them stayed late that day to play 1-on-1 as usual. Momoi had gone home early to study for an upcoming test that they'd consciously chosen to neglect. And as usual, he'd won with ease._

_Kise was lying on the ground and panting. "This isn't fair! I can't believe I lost again! I almost had it too! I'll definitely beat you next time, Aominecchi!"_

_Aomine laughed. "Yeah, right, of course you will. You're still a thousand years too early to even think about beating me in a match, you idiot!"_

_The blond returned the laugh. "You just keep telling yourself that. I'll win eventually, and then we'll see who's laughing at who!"_

" _The only place you'll ever win against me is in your dreams." Walking over to the bench to grab his towel, he tossed the blonde's over to him. "Come on, it's getting late. Hurry up and change so we can get home, yeah?"_

_Sitting up, Kise grabbed the towel and asked him eagerly. "Oh, can we get ice cream on the way? Please?"_

_He shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not?"_

_\--_

_On the way to the convenience store, they talked about things they never had before. He found out why Kise took on his modelling job and what his situation at home was like. All in all, it was quite different from his and Momoi's where their parents were quite well off, able to provide them with everything they could possibly need. He also found out that they both relied heavily on Midorima's lucky pencil during tests. And after they'd bought their ice cream and were making their way home, he asked (bluntly as usual), "So when'd you suddenly start liking guys?"_

_The blond looked up in thought and answered honestly, "I'm not sure. I don't think I like all guys, or even most guys for that matter. Don't get me wrong, even though I confessed to you, I still think girls are really cute and I find them attractive, so I'm pretty sure it's just you."_

" _Oh." He was glad that it was dark out since he could feel a wave of embarrassment hit him hard. "Out of all people, why me? I would've expected you to like Tetsu first or something."_

" _I_ _ **do**_ _really like Kurokocchi. I absolutely love him! As a friend, I'd choose him over you any day! ("Oi! Don't say it so happily!") But it's not the same. I'm not sure how to describe it." Kise glanced over at him. "I can tell you why I like you though! If I were to ask you to choose between me and basketball, which would you choose?"_

_He blinked and paused for a moment. He hadn't expected to have to choose between the two before he'd even decided on whether he liked the guy or not. But as always, his answer was, "I'd choose basketball, of course."_

_Kise smiled. "That's why I like you, Aominecchi."_

_Not quite understanding what'd just happened, he let out an intelligent "Huh?"_

_Eating his ice cream happily, the blond mentioned lightly, "If you ever came to like me more than basketball, I'd probably break up with you." Then he quickly added, "That is, based on the assumption that we actually end up going out, of course."_

_Aomine remained silent for a moment, unsure of what to make of that statement. But by then, they neared the intersection where they normally went their separate ways and he had a choice to make. Although they weren't going out or anything and Kise was a boy, the fact that he'd confessed to him made him feel obligated to walk him a little further to the train station._

" _Well, I guess this is me." The blond trailed off as the taller boy continued walking beside him. "Aominecchi?"_

" _Shut up and keep walking. The station isn't that much further anyway. I'm just walking the ice cream off," he spoke louder than was necessary out of embarrassment. He felt even more self-conscious when he began thinking about how normal couples would be holding hands in situations like these._

_Kise stared at him in disbelief for a moment before beaming at him. It was a smile he'd never seen before, one that was shy but so full of happiness it filled him with warmth--not that he'd ever admit it to anyone. The rest of their walk was silent with the blond grinning to himself while he avoided all eye contact with the other boy, trying to clear his head of all those embarrassing thoughts._

_\--_

_Their relationship remained the same as it always had and Aomine didn't reach his decision until another couple weeks later, when he woke up from a particularly disturbing dream._

_They were playing in the outdoor court by the school because it was exam time and the gym was being used as always. As expected, they played until the sun began setting and they were the only ones left in the area. Kise was lying on the ground, having lost again, and he was sitting beside him, laughing. "Are you sure you should be lying on the ground like that, model-san? Won't your fans be upset if you get dirt in your perfect hair?"_

_The blond huffed. "Whatever, I'm going to shower after I get home anyway. I can't believe I lost again! Why can't I ever seem to win? Aominecchi, let's play again!"_

_Frowning, Aomine stared at the other in disbelief. "Huh? Again? No way! It's getting late! I'm going home!"_

_Kise began kicking his feet in the air like a child. "Again! Again! Please!"_

" _I said no, so just drop it already!"_

" _But Aominecchi, just one more! Please-"_

_He cut the blond off with a kiss. "I said no, you idiot!"_

_The model didn't reply and merely stared at him, eyes widened and jaw agape. Then slowly, colour began rushing to his cheeks. "Aominecchi…did you just…?"_

" _Huh? That? Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he announced, "So I've finally come to a decision. And that was it."_

_Kise paused, then he asked quieter than usual, "…and how did you reach this decision?"_

_Though he'd hoped that he wouldn't be asked that, there was nothing he could do but to answer honestly. A light blush on his face, he looked away as he answered, "I had this really erotic dream about you this morning. I mean, if I can jack off to you, then that **must** mean I'm attracted to you, right?"_

_At this, Kise covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. "To be able to say something like that so bluntly…Aominecchi, you're just the worst."_

" _What? You asked so I answered! Are you telling me that you've_ _ **never**_ _jacked off to me before?"_

_Much to his amusement, he'd never seen the blond go so red and speechless like that before._

_\--_

The pro shot him an annoyed look. "You know, last night, thanks to you guys, I wasn't even able to enjoy the company of my guest properly. I ended up walking over to Teikou instead. It's stupid, but I began remember all these things. If anyone had asked about them before yesterday, I probably wouldn't have been able to answer them," Aomine spoke contemplatively, still looking upwards.

Kagami offered an understanding nod. "Brains have a way doing that, remembering things at random times and all that. So you two continued dating even after middle school?"

"That's right. Kise made me work hard in middle school. When you have someone close who admired you as much as Kise did, you don't want to disappoint. But at the same time, the harder I worked, the less interesting basketball became, just because no one could beat me." He heaved a sigh. "Teikou…those were the good times. If you want to know, we didn't have  _actual_  sex until the day after we graduated. But that was mostly because Akashi would've killed us if anything we did impaired our skills during practice or matches. So fuck anything Haizaki said."

The detective didn't dignify him with a response.

Aomine let out a laugh. "What? Weren't you the one who wanted to know everything?"

The redhead coughed uncomfortably, clearly trying to remain composed. "I don't think I'll need to know every detail of your teenager sex life, thanks. So moving on, I understand that you two didn't go to the same high school?"

The taller man shrugged. "For the longest time, I thought we were going to. That guy was always talking about how cool their uniforms looked and all, but in the end, he chose Kaijou. I chose Touou because I heard they developed a good reputation in basketball in recent years, and they were pretty slack when it came to school. I'm not like Midorima where it's all about name and prestige, you know? I asked Kise why he changed his mind and he just said that instead of playing with me all the time, he wanted to play against me. It sounded like something he'd say so I didn't press it."

Kagami tapped his pen against his cheek as he listened to the other. "You don't sound particularly convinced though, even now."

"No, in retrospect, he probably knew that if he went to Touou, we would've broken up. With the way I was skipping classes and practice in my first year, I'm surprised they didn't just kick me out of school altogether. A lot of the times he came to visit, he ended up forcing me to attend practice before he'd even consider hanging out. I tried to bribe him with pretty much anything you can think of: 1-on-1 matches, sex, food, money, porn magazines…he wouldn't budge."

"So did everyone on your team know about your relationship with Kise?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Everyone on both our teams knew and the guys back at Teikou knew so chances are, most of the people in basketball knew about it. My team probably wasn't too keen on the whole thing, but they never said anything about it and I never really cared. He got along pretty well with Ryou though, and he and Satsuki got along as well as always."

"So it didn't affect your matches at all? Even when you played against Kaijou? I'm sure your team must've been worried about your performance."

"That's the problem with having a relationship that revolves around a sport. It consumes you to the point where you lose sight of what's what. Like, what do you do when you have to play a match against the other? You can't lose because you want to live up to their standards, but winning's not that great of an option either since it's not like you can just go and comfort someone you just beat, someone who tried their best against you, and tell them it wasn't a big deal. All you can do is stand there and watch. Always being stuck in a situation like that gets tiring fast."

Kagami blinked. "Oh, I think I've heard someone say something like that before when we met Midorima and Takao."

"Oh, they're still together? No way." The pro perked up in mild interest at the mention of his old teammate but then digressed. "During that first year of high school, I was seriously stuck. Basketball had become boring for me since no one could really pose much of a challenge for me, but I wasn't willing to quit. It was partially because of that stupid question Kise always asked me. 'Me or basketball?' If I were to quit basketball then I'd obviously be lying if I said 'basketball,' right? So by quitting, I would've lost both things." He let out a sigh. "But it was really tense between us after Interhigh. We both said a lot of things during that match."

" _I'm going to stop admiring you…"_

" _You're the one I can't stand the most!"_

"And it took a while for us to start talking normally again…"

\--

_The atmosphere was tense._

_Although they were just sitting around, watching television and reading magazines, the atmosphere was impossible to ignore. Glancing over the other, Aomine wondered if Kise was still thinking about their match; not so much about the loss as the words that he'd carelessly spat out. Thinking back, he never realized how different they'd grown. Kise had followed Kuroko's path while he continued on his own, relying on no one but himself._

_For him, the hardest part was the distance between them after the match ended. He never realized how hard it would be, seeing the other on the ground while unable to reach his hand out to just so much as to help him up. Watching Kasamatsu help the blond up onto his feet, he couldn't help but think that that should've been him instead. In Teikou, when Haizaki had beaten him, he'd been there to give words of support and encouragement. But when he was the one doing the winning, there was nothing he could say or do to make things better. Not for the first time, he could only feel bitter towards the sport that'd brought them together in the first place. It didn't help that the blond continued talking to everyone else, even those on his team, except him afterwards._

" _Aominecchi, why are you glaring at your magazine like that? Did they make Mai-chan wear something ridiculous? Oh hey, that's the magazine_ _ **I'm**_ _in this month! And that's my centerfold you're glaring at! Are you still mad at me for copying your moves?"_

_Blinking, Aomine looked over. "You think I'm mad at you? You're the one who was pissed off."_

_Kise didn't deny it. "Yeah, I sulked for a while, but I'm over it now. It was weird, not being able to rant to you about it or being able to come to you for extra practice. Even though you beat me, that doesn't mean I'm just going to give up, you know? Besides, you looked so cool, I can't help but forgive you. I guess I was just disappointed."_

" _Huh? In what?"_

" _Myself."_

_There was something else about the match that the blond wasn't saying, but he decided that it wasn't the right time to ask._

"… _how's your leg? After that match, you couldn't even stand on your own."_

_The model gave a rueful grin. "Oh, you remembered that? It's a lot better now. Hopefully it won't act up again. Sempai was really thoughtful. You should've seen him. He piggybacked me all the way to the train station even though he was exhausted. And every time I asked him to put me down, he just told me, 'Shut up, we're almost there!' Wasn't that cool of him, Aominecchi?"_

_Reluctantly, he answered, "Yeah, how cool."_

_Annoyance ticked inside him. There it was again. The feeling that he was in the wrong place, at the wrong school, doing the wrong thing. It should've been **him**  piggybacking Kise. It should've been  **him**  telling Kise to shut up. It should've been  **them** winning that match, not just him alone._

_Amber eyes studied him for a moment before asking teasingly, "Aominecchi, are you jealous? There's no need to be, you know? You're still really cool, I swear! And you're still the one I like. I still lo-ve you!"_

_He snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Like anyone would get jealous over an idiot like you."_

_The blond pouted. "That's mean, Aominecchi."_

_Glad that the tension was gone between them, he lied down on the couch and rested his head on the other's lap. It took a while to get used to, but the feel of muscles under his head as opposed to the softness that girls had become a source of comfort to him. "So, what exactly did you mean by 'You're going to stop admiring me'?"_

_A small smile. "Oh that? I meant that next time, I'm going to aim to play against you as your equal, Aominecchi. And next time, I'll win for sure."_

" _Sure. You're still a hundred years too early to beat me."_

_Kise looked down at him. "And what did **you**  mean by 'You're the one I can't stand the most'?"_

" _I meant exactly that. You're going to drive me insane someday. I absolutely can't stand you, Kise." He grinned playfully and pulled the other down for a kiss._

_The blonde's cheeks were tinted slightly pink as he muttered, "You're so mean, Aominecchi…"_

_\--_

"And then things were pretty much back to normal after that. We didn't really see each other all that much since we were all busy with training until the Winter Cup when Tetsu managed to beat me."

Kagami raised a brow. "I find that very hard to believe."

"Yeah, well, Tetsu's not a bad player. His skills are just very different from most other people's, but he's pretty reliable during matches. So after that loss, I suddenly felt like playing basketball again if only to beat Tetsu to show him who's boss. I guess after winning for so long, finally losing a match refreshed things for me. Everything just seemed to have gotten better after that. Kise had been staying at my place while the tournament was going on. He made it to the semi-finals after that incident with that bastard Haizaki."

He tried his best to hide the amusement in his voice. "The one where you punched him in the face?"

The pro shrugged nonchalantly. "That's the one. It was really his own fault for being an idiot; first by playing dirty on the court, then by egging me on afterwards. I told him to stop any idiotic ideas he had against Kise or Tetsu and he said something like 'Well, you're going to have to stop me by force.' So I did. I wish I beat him up some more. I mean, I had to carry Kise back because of his foot afterwards while he whined about how stupid I was for punching the bastard."

Though it was in the form of a complaint, Aomine had a rather pleased tone in his voice as he remembered carrying the blond back to his apartment. He could still recall with great detail what a relief it was to finally be able to say,  _'That was a good match. You did a good job, Kise.'_ and the smile he received for it.

Kagami mentally noted the warmth in his voice as he continued, "And did anything else happen between then and the night of the banquet?"

"Hmm… Not really. On that night, after we left the banquet, on the way back, I remember Kise calling his parents to tell them that he'd be staying with me for a couple more days. Then after that, I remember Kise was talking about university applications and future careers since there were guys on his team that were going to graduate soon…"

\--

_The two of them were sitting in the living room of his apartment, watching TV (he was reading a porn magazine) and waiting for the bathtub to fill up when Kise looked over and asked, "Hey Aominecchi, what do you want to be when you grow up?"_

_He blinked and put down the magazine. "Huh? That's so random. Why are you even asking?"_

_The blond shrugged. "It's because senpai's graduating soon and we were talking about it. And it got me curious about your aspirations for the future, that's all."_

" _I don't know. Maybe I'll continue in basketball and become a pro. Who knows?"_

" _What about outside of basketball? Have you ever considered anything else?"_

" _Like what?"_

_Kise looked up in thought for a moment. "Like, a pilot or something!"_

_Aomine let out a laugh. "A pilot? Is that what you want to be? I figured you'd stay a model until you turn into some old and wrinkly geezer."_

_A pout. "How mean! Modelling isn't what I want to do forever, you know? A pilot gets to fly and travel everywhere, always going to new places, meeting new people and stuff. I just think it'd be fun. So? What about you? You must've dreamt about something outside of basketball, Aominecchi."_

_Pulling his lips taut, he hummed thoughtfully. For a moment, he thought back to the incident with Haizaki a few days ago and muttered, "If not basketball, then maybe a policeman?"_

_Amber eyes blinked. "Oh, that's unexpected! But how cool! Then you'd get to carry a gun around and fight crime and uphold the law!"_

" _Hmm? So I'd be equally cool chasing down criminals as I would playing basketball?" he asked teasingly._

_The blond shrugged. "I think you'd be equally cool no matter what you do, so long as you do it seriously, Aominecchi." Then he let out a chuckle. "Being a cop **would** make you particularly cool though. I think you'd make a really awesome cop, Aominecchi! I can see you slacking off and napping on quiet days and then chasing criminals down the street on busy days."_

" _A cop, hmm?" Leaning back against the other boy, Aomine frowned. "Why can't I be a basketball pro though? That's definitely something I can see myself doing. Isn't it the most natural step at this point for me? Even my coach said I'd definitely get accepted if I ever wanted to."_

" _Because that's too obvious of an answer, isn't it? I'm not saying don't do it, but that's not all there is to life. You have to try thinking outside the court every now and then, you basketball idiot! Besides, if you become a pro, I'd probably have to become one too since every time I see you play, I'll want to play too! And then we'd really be stuck together forever!"_

_Inwardly, Aomine thought about how that didn't seem like all too bad of an idea. But at the same time, what Kise had said was also true. There was an entire world out there, beyond basketball, one that he'd never explored or even thought of before. Glancing at the grinning blond, to hide his own smile, he could only give him a shove and snort. "Who'd want to be stuck with an idiot like you forever?"_

" _You're so mean, Aominecchi!" Then a moment later, the shorter boy perked up. "Oh, I think the tub's full. I guess I'll go first! You can just stay here and think about policing or breasts or whatever it is you think about while I take a bath, okay?"_

_He scowled. "Oi, why do you get to go first?"_

_Kise let out a happy laugh. "Because I'm a guest and you love me! And no, you can't join me because the tub is small and I actually plan on coming out **clean**!"_

_\--_

_And while Kise bathed, Aomine thought long and hard about their conversation. Ever since the blond confessed, the backwards problem of 'will you choose basketball over me?' had always persisted. And while it had yet to cause any issues since the sport took up such a huge part of their lives, like Kise said, there was a whole world outside of basketball out there. If they were to step into that world, would everything shatter and fall apart? He'd always presumed Kise asked him about his love for basketball because that was the main thing that held them together. Without that common passion, what would happen to them?_

_But wasn't it inevitable that he'd come to like the blond more than basketball? While girls had been flippant and fickle and basketball stable, Kise was…different. The boy was just special, and what they had was serious. He wondered if that conversation was meant to imply that they could move their relationship away from the sport. After all, if the blond had been that insistent on him thinking about careers beyond basketball, that must mean something, right? That it'd be okay for his love for basketball to give way to other opportunities…right? Or maybe not._

_Groaning, Aomine ran a hand through his head. He was probably reading too deeply into the conversation, and he really didn't have enough experience in over-thinking things to be effective and make sense of any it. Although through his mulling, he eventually reached a decision and somewhat of an epiphany just as Kise emerged from the bathroom with a satisfied expression on his face and a towel around his neck. "Okay, Aominecchi, it's your turn!"_

_Eager to get a chance to plan out his method of execution in the tub, he got up and began stripping as he made his way to the bathroom. "Geez, took you long enough."_

_The model immediately began to protest, "Don't just start stripping and throwing your clothes around in the hallway, you barbarian!"_

" _Shut up! It's_ _ **my**_ _apartment! I'll run around naked if I want to!" he shouted back before shutting the bathroom door._

_\--_

"I don't really remember how much time I spent in the tub that night, just thinking of ways to tell him that even if I were to choose him over basketball someday, there was more to us than just that. And if there wasn't, then, because there was so much beyond basketball, we'd find something…or something like that." Embarrassed, Aomine let out a huff and rolled his eyes at himself. "I spent all that time in the tub and all these years thinking about it and I still haven't come up with something decent." As he continued, his tone changed and became more sombre as he spoke, "But yeah, after I got out, I found my phone next to a note from Kise on the kitchen table saying that he'd be right back. Only…he never came back."

 


	9. Chapter 9

Flipping through his notes, remembering that Kuroko had mentioned a note as well but it never turned up in the inventory. "I never saw a note in our box of evidence."

"That's because I never handed it over to the police. At the time, I was so convinced that Kise would just show up again that I never bothered to," the pro admitted a little reluctantly.

"Do you still have it?" After listening to the other's story, there was no doubt in his mind that he did, but he decided that straight up demanding to see it would be counter effective.

There was a pause before Aomine nodded. "Yeah, it's around somewhere, I guess."

"Well, we could grab a drink later and go see if we can find it," Kagami suggested easily.

The pro shook his head. "I don't drink. Drinking makes me…"

_Drinking makes me miss him._

The unspoken statement rang loudly as the two sat there.

"The coach doesn't like us drinking," the taller man spoke hastily, changing the direction of his sentence.

"Then I guess I'll just have to drop by later to find it. Hope I won't be interrupting you again."

Aomine gave a snort. "I doubt I'll have anyone over today thanks to this depressing talk. And speaking from experience, women don't find sulking men particularly attractive."

Looking down at his notebook, Kagami tapped his pen against something Tatsuya had found. "Says here, your high school coach is the same guy coaching your team right now?"

"Huh? Yeah, what about him? Coach only got on the team a couple years back. He was surprisingly helpful and motivational after Kise disappeared. After that day, I pretty much threw everything away and was ready to live as a bum for the rest of my life." The pro sighed despondently as he recalled the memories. "I…the only way I can really describe it is that when Kise disappeared, it was like he took the sun with him. Back then, I remember coach saying to me…"

" _Look Aomine, you can either continue this and become so useless that if blondie were to see you, he'd be guilted into getting back together with you, or you can do something with your life and become so successful and well known that he'll come crawling back just to see you again. I don't really care what you do with your life, but don't just throw it all away."_

"So I decided that I'd become so famous that no matter where he went off to, he'd hear my name. Then I had another choice to make. Do I choose the road to the rest of the world that'd been opened up to me or basketball?"

"… _if you become a pro, I'd probably have to become one too since every time I see you play, I'll want to play too!"_

"And you chose basketball because Kise would've never been able to resist it."

"Basically. Seems like a really dumb idea now considering how there'd never even been a chance of him showing up again," Aomine said cynically.

Watching the other man, he could see why Kuroko and Momoi were so sympathetic towards him. He made all his career choices on the hopes of seeing that one person again someday. Momoi had been right when she said that he must've hoped for a miracle more than anyone.

Kagami pulled his lips taut. "Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt Kise? Or anyone who disapproved of your relationship with him?"

The man shook his head. "I don't think  _anyone_  approved of what we were doing. They didn't outright object to it, but they never  _approved_. If anything, I'd say they just tolerated it. I can't think of anyone who'd want to hurt him though. That is, other than Haizaki, but he probably chickened out after that punch." He heaved another sigh. "Just leave it to Kise to get into this kind of trouble. Such an idiot…it pisses me off to think about it. I still can't believe he went and got himself killed like this. He just left us all behind."

He raised a brow in surprise. Although anger was a common reaction, he hadn't expected the fluctuation in emotions. One moment, the taller man was reminiscing sadly about days past with the blond and then next, he was complaining about him. He couldn't help but ask, "So what exactly was Kise to you? I want to hear it from your mouth." Though he'd heard the affectionate tone and the longing in the other's voice, he wanted to hear it said out loud.

Aomine rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully, a slight frown on his lips. "To put a name to it would cheapen it. Kise was, more than any man or woman I've ever met, very precious to me." His eyes were downcast as he continued, voice rough with emotion, "Of course, for all I know, we might've broken up the very next day or we might've still been together now. Maybe I'm putting him on a pedestal even in my memories, but that idiot just had a way of worming his way into your heart." Then he looked up and glared at him. "Don't give me that pitying look. I don't need your concern, bastard. It's bad enough that I had to say half the things I did."

"Who said I was concerned?" Huffing, Kagami asked his final question, "Just one more thing then you can go. We also found an earring with the body. I get this feeling you know exactly what I'm talking about. Can you tell me about it?"

The pro froze for an instant before shrugging. "Yeah, I know the one you're talking about. A blue hooped earring, right? It was a birthday present I got him. He looked so idiotically happy about it and refused to take it out ever since. Hey, before you leave, can you tell me how it happened?"

Conflicted momentarily, Kagami decided that the worst thing he could do was to avoid the question. After explaining everything they'd found so far about the murder, he could only avert his eyes and pretend not to notice the horror in the other's dark blue eyes. "And that's all we know right now." He closed his notebook silently and noticed the edges of something sticking out the side. Taking it out, he remembered what he'd planned to do. Sliding the photo across the table wordlessly, he watched Aomine's eyes widen and his face flush with emotion. Quickly getting up, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't leave this room until I tell you to, okay? It might take a while, but I just need to run out and double check with my boss in case I missed anything, alright?"

Slipping out of the room, he tried his best to put the image of tears sliding down the other's face out of his mind.

\--

As he left the room, Alex approached him. "You look exhausted. How'd it go?"

He shrugged. "It went well enough. I got him talking at least. I wanted to give him some space after all that. I need to get ready for the next interview anyway."

Alex shook her head. "I'll take the woman. You look terrible right now and you're probably not in any condition to take on another interview. Besides, you're too nice to women. So brief me on everything and I'll take her on, okay? You can just go watch everything from the observation room."

"Fine, just try not to do anything that could lead to a lawsuit."

Then Tatsuya returned to the office. "Oh hey, Taiga. Are you finished? Have you seen the newspaper? Somehow, your case leaked. It's all over the papers and the news."

Kagami frowned as he took the papers from his partner's hands and stared at the headlines. "What? How? Who would go and tell the reporters? Damn it, we managed to keep it so low key too."

\--

Aomine sat there, alone in the room, alone with his thoughts. A little angry at himself, he wiped the tears away, mentally willing them to stop to no avail. Though he was grateful that the detective left the room, he'd never acknowledge it. He hadn't meant to let the tears slip but after talking about the blond so much and to be suddenly shown a photograph was too much for him to handle all at once.

Ten years.

In all those years, he'd never been able to bring himself to look at photos of the blond, unsure of how well he'd react to it. He never realized how much hope he still had until it was all crushed. Unable to tear his eyes away from the photo, with shaky hands, he picked it up and held it a little closer in attempt to read the writing through his tears.

' _Me and my beloved Aominecchi!'_

He couldn't help but snort. Honestly, what kind of boy would draw that many hearts on a picture?

As he read it again, everything suddenly hit him.

Kise was really gone.

" _I think I've come to like you, Aominecchi…"_

He'd never hear that name again.

" _Let's play 1-on-1! 1-on-1!"_

He'd never see his crying face again.

" _Kurokocchi, Aominecchi's being mean to me!"_

He'd never hear Kise's constant whining again.

" _Wake up! Geeze, you're late for practice again!"_

He'd never see his 100 watt smile again.

" _One more game! Please, Aominecchi? Just one more game! It'll be the last one, I promise!"_

There'd no longer be any more 1-on-1 matches or lounging around, reading magazines together on lazy Sundays afternoons.

" _You taught Kurokocchi how to make shots? That's not fair! Why didn't you call me? …of course I'm jealous! You got to spend time with Kurokocchi! Ow! What was that for?"_

They'd never have another discreet date in the most crowded parts of Tokyo or follow and watch Momoi's dates from afar.

" _I'll beat you next time for sure, Aominecchi!"_

There were so many things they'd never do again, so many things he never realized he'd miss doing until now.

" _Aominecchi, I love you so much!"_

Worst of all, he realized, was that their relationship would never have any closure.

He'd never know whether they'd have endured all hardships and obstacles or broken under the pressure of everything. He'd never know whether they were actually 'meant to be' or if those feelings were just something temporary that his teenage mind made up. And somehow, all those  _what-ifs_  and  _never-again's_  made him miss Kise just that much more.

_If you're really gone, then what have I been working so hard for, for all these years?_

Another wave of grief hit him hard, and he could feel tears stinging at his eyes again.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd cried over something.

Just when did the blond become so damn precious to him?

Shoulders shaking, he buried his face in his arms and tried to choke back his sobs.

For the second time in his life, it felt like the sun disappeared and the world stopped turning.

"Damn it, Kise…"

_What am I supposed to do now?_

_\--_

After a long while, Kagami entered the room tentatively. While he wanted to give the other man the privacy to cry and calm down at his leisure, he also didn't want the pro to fall asleep in there. The taller man was sitting there, glaring at him with reddened eyes, looking equally exhausted and more than slightly annoyed. "Took you long enough. So can I leave yet, or did you want to know more about my personal life?"

Kagami shook his head, choosing to ignore the redness of the other's eyes. "My bad, something came up. But no, we're done for now. I'll come around later tonight to take a look at that note though."

Sighing loudly, the pro stood up. "I suppose that means I'll actually have to go and look for it then."

Though he had a feeling that the man knew exactly where it was, he nodded. "Yeah, hopefully you'll be able to find it. I'll give you a heads up before I come by."

"Will Tetsu be coming too?"

"I don't know, maybe. Why? Would it bother you if he came?"

A shrug. "Not really. I guess not."

"Actually, could you come by later to pick Momoi up? I get this feeling she could use your support after." He could tell by looking at the other that the man understood the difficult position he'd put his childhood friend in and how much she'd had to deal with for his sake.

"Fine, just give me a call." Leaving his card behind, Aomine made his way towards the door and paused to spare him a glance. "Look, I don't particularly like you or anything, but this case…I'll leave it to you. You better find out who did this and make him pay."

\--

Those words were still lingering in his mind when Momoi entered the office. "Hello, Kagami-san."

He dipped his head in greeting. "Hey, hope you got some sleep last night."

"I managed. You don't look too great yourself, detective. Was it Dai-chan?" She frowned. "He didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

"No, he was quite helpful actually, even if he  _was_ rather reluctant at first."

Understanding shone in her eyes. "It's a hard subject for him to talk about." Then she quickly flashed him a rueful smile. "I'm sorry; it must seem strange to you that I keep sticking up for him like this. I guess I grew protective over him after growing up with him."

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck absent-mindedly. "Not really, I don't think it's strange. It's only natural to want to look out for people you care about and whatnot." Glancing at Alex, who was emerging from her office, he remembered that he wasn't going to be doing the interview. "So that lady over there's Alex, my superior. She's helping me out so you'll be talking to her today. You'd probably rather talk to another woman anyway, right?"

Momoi shook her head. "I don't mind talking to her. If she's working on this case, I'll give her my full cooperation."

"Thanks a lot. If she does anything stupid, just scream or something."

"Wha-?"

Just then, Alex walked up to them with her best professional smile and held her hand up to the other woman. "You must be Momoi Satsuki. I'm Alexandra Garcia, and I'll be helping Taiga out with this case. Come on, we can go over there to talk."

Sighing wearily to himself, he walked into the observation room to listen in on their conversation.

\--

Standing by the one-way glass, he felt the urge to run in and tell Alex to behave even though she hadn't done anything yet. He had to remind himself that she was a detective, just like him, and him his superior at that. "Come on, Taiga, she can be professional when she needs to be…" he tried to convince himself with very little success.

Alex wasted no time with pleasantries and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.  _"So just what is your relationship with Aomine Daiki?"_

The other woman replied equally seriously,  _"Well, he's a member of the team I manage. And we're childhood friends. I grew up with him."_

" _And Kise Ryouta?"_

" _He was my best friend."_

" _And have you ever had any romantic interest in either of them?"_

" _No. I was interested in someone else."_

" _So their relationship didn't both you in the least?"_ Momoi hesitated for a moment. His boss picked up on it immediately. He'd forgotten how perceptive she was when she was on the job.  _"You didn't like them being together? Why? Because they were both men?"_

She shook her head.  _"No, no, that's not it at all! I was glad they were together! I was…relieved."_

The blonde raised a brow. " _Relieved?"_

There was no criticism in her eyes as she spoke,  _"When it comes to dating or relationships, Aomine-kun doesn't have the best track record. He tends to be insensitive and blunt even though he doesn't mean to be. And ever since we were little, nothing and no one's been able to come between him and basketball. He chases people away unintentionally with his careless words and dedication to what most people see as simply a sport. So when Ki-chan…I mean, Kise-kun…"_

Alex gave a shrug.  _"Just call them whatever you're used to calling them by, or whatever you're comfortable with."_

" _When Ki-chan told me that he was thinking about confessing, I got worried. I was afraid that Dai-chan would be careless as usual and end up hurting him. But the next day, he came up to me and said: 'Aominecchi's surprisingly cute, isn't it?' Somehow, everything worked out between them. I'd been so worried that Dai-chan would never find anyone, and that I'd have to look after him for the rest of my life because he's actually not as independent as he leads people to believe. I mean, I love Dai-chan like a brother, but that would've been too much. So you can imagine my relief when Ki-chan showed up."_

" _But then Kise disappeared. Did you become a manager just to take care of Aomine?"_

" _No, of course not. I think a part of me was afraid that I'd have to assume that role again, but it didn't happen. After Ki-chan's disappearance, Dai-chan became very independent. We both worked hard and it was by chance that we ended up getting recruited to the same team."_

" _I see."_

" _I…am I a suspect in this case?"_

The blonde shrugged again.  _"Everyone's a suspect. I don't think you were the killer per se, but there's always a possibility that you were involved. I mean, in a lot of cases, those who were closest to the victim usually end up being the perpetrator. So in Kise's case, it's highly possible that you were involved somehow."_

Even  _he_  winced at the harshness of her tone.

Momoi remained calm, though she'd tensed up.  _"If I'm a suspect, then even if I were to say that I'd never do anything to harm Ki-chan, there's a chance that you won't believe me, right?"_

" _I suppose. At the end of the day, we look closest at whoever the evidence and testimonies point us to. Speaking of which, did you or Aomine tell anyone about this case?"_

" _No, I've been at home ever since Kagami-san and Tetsu-kun dropped me off last night. I doubt Dai-chan would have anyone to tell. We don't have practice today, so we didn't even have to make up any excuses for being absent today."_

Nodding, Alex pursed her lips, brain processing all the information she was receiving.  _"Alright then. Let's move on. Tell me about the night of Kise's disappearance. Where were you?"_

" _We were at the Winter Cup banquet…"_

_\--_

Sitting there and taking notes of his own as the woman talked, he wasn't sure how much time had gone by. The more Momoi spoke about the blond, the closer to tears she became.

"… _I remember Ki-chan telling me how glad he was that Tetsu-kun beat Dai-chan. 'When we played 1-on-1, he was smiling again. I wish it'd been me who relit that spark in him though,' he told me. I think he was worried about Dai-chan's interest in basketball more than anyone."_

" _And why was that?"_

" _He was afraid that if Dai-chan could get bored of something he loved as much as basketball, then he could get bored of Ki-chan just as easily. That's why Ki-chan used to ask Dai-chan to choose between him and basketball all the time. Boys can be so stupid sometimes…"_

_\--_

As the two continued discussing the case with Momoi having to constantly wipe the tears from her eyes, there was a light knock on the door. Looking over, he raised a brow when Tatsuya poked his head in. "Taiga, Aomine's here."

"Huh? Oh right." He'd forgotten that he asked the pro to drop by. "Can you tell him to come in?"

"Alright."

Turning back to the interview, he missed what Alex had just said but it caused the younger woman to cry to the point where she couldn't articulate herself anymore.

Aomine stepped in, looking a little better than he had earlier. He figured that the taller man must've taken a nap or just passed out after he got home. "Hey."

"Hey…" the pro trailed off, seeing Momoi in the other room, crying. He furrowed his brows angrily. "God, what are you guys doing to her in there?"

And before he could answer, Alex got up, leaned over, and kissed the younger woman.

Momoi looked stunned while she sat there.

Aomine's jaw dropped, forgetting any protests he might've had.

Meanwhile, Kagami got up and stormed into the other room to pull his boss off the other woman. "Damn it, Alex! I told you not to do anything stupid or illegal!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for a couple phrases, if they sound strange, it's because they sounded better in my head...and in Japanese. So yeah, they were...I guess better translations? Literal translations always sound very awkward to me. Here are a couple quick examples:
> 
> "Kise was, more than any man or woman I've ever met, very precious to me.." - 黄瀬はオレに誰よりも大切だった。(Kise wa ore ni dare yori taisetsu datta.)  
> (Direct translation-ish: "Kise was, to me, more important than anyone else.")
> 
> 'Me and my beloved Aominecchi!' - オレと大好きな青峰っち！(Ore to daisuki na Aominecchi!)  
> (Direct translation-ish: "Me and beloved Aominecchi!")


	10. Chapter 10

Prying Alex off of the younger woman, Kagami could only continue to yell, mostly out of panic. "What were you thinking _!_? Or rather, were you thinking  _at all!_?"

Alex pouted (unprofessionally, in his opinion). "What are you yelling about this time, Taiga? Just look at the poor girl! She was crying so sadly, I thought I'd distract her, that's all."

At that point, he was pretty sure his head would implode from a combination of stress, fatigue and frustration. "Randomly kissing someone's not considered a distraction! That's called sexual harassment! You're going to get all of us fired-or arrested, whichever comes first! There was even a witness!"

Aomine stepped into the room when another person suddenly appeared beside him. "Did I miss anything, Kagami-kun?"

The detective looked over. "Oh, Kurok-" Before he could finish his sentence, he let out a yelp and let go of Alex in favour of backing up to the nearest wall. "Why'd you bring that thing in here _!_?"

Everyone in the room turned their attention to the dog sitting beside Kuroko. Momoi sat up, momentarily forgetting the fact that she'd been crying and then molested a minute ago. "Tetsu-kun, and you brought Tetsuya #2! He's still as cute as ever!"

Pressed up against the wall still, he frowned. "Tetsuya #2? What kind of name is that?"

"Kagami-kun, could it be that you're afraid of dogs?" There was a glint in his eyes as he picked up the dog and walked towards the cowering detective. "But he's so cute."

Flailing his arms, Kagami tried to ward the other off. "Keep that thing away from me, you sadistic brat!"

"But I'm the same age as you."

Tetsuya #2 suddenly barked and caused Kagami to run out of the room. Aomine looked over at his ex-teammate with his arms crossed nonchalantly. "You haven't changed at all, Tetsu." Light blue eyes returned the glance easily but remained silent. The pro understood that the statement didn't apply to him. He'd changed a lot since his middle and high school days. Shrugging it off, he turned towards the door. "Looks like they're done with us for today. Come on Satsuki, let's go."

Momoi nodded and got up to follow her friend. "Goodbye, Tetsu-kun and," her face reddened when she looked over at the blond, "Alexandra-san…"

Alex smiled and waved as though nothing had happened. "See you around. We'll give you a call if anything comes up. Thanks for your cooperation!"

For a moment, Kuroko raised a brow at the strange interaction between the two women before shrugging it off and returned to his game of 'Scare Kagami-kun'.

\--

After having been cornered in his own office by the person who was  _supposed_ to be helping him on the case and his dog, Kagami finally gave up on trying to escape, not that he had much of a choice. Glaring at the other, he could only ask, "Why are you doing this to me, Kuroko?"

The shorter male's expression remained impassive. "Dogs are so cute though. And this will help you get over your irrational fear."

He shook his head unhappily at the offer. "It's not irrational. They bite. It's terrifying. I'll get over my fear on my own time." Waving his hand, trying to shoo the two away, he huffed indignantly. "Just get it away from me already. Did you come here for a reason or did you just want to scare me?"

Kuroko blinked for a moment, as though suddenly remembering something. "Oh, that's right. Please cancel any plans you might have tonight."

Raising a brow, Kagami asked, "Huh? Why? I was going to head over to Aomine's to grab a note he has or something tonight."

"Aomine-kun will definitely understand if you explain things to him. I got a call from Akashi-kun earlier. He wants to meet us in a couple hours. So I thought I'd walk my dog here and grab a bite with you before heading over."

Sullenly, he muttered, "I'll agree to that second part, but not the dog walking part."

\--

And that's how he ended up sitting in a traditional looking waiting room with Kuroko and cups of tea in front of them, feeling extremely out of place. The traditional setting made sense since they were dealing with a professional Shogi player, but it didn't make the place feel any less awkward. "So just how long are we going to have to wait for that guy?" he asked softly, in case there was someone lurking around outside.

"It shouldn't be very long," was the equally quiet reply. "One thing I should probably emphasize before Akashi-kun gets here…don't be disrespectful to him."

He blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Then the door opened and a figure stepped in. "Tetsuya, it's been a while."

Looking over, he observed the stranger that just entered the room. He was about the same height as Kuroko with red hair and mismatched eyes. Despite his shorter stature, he had an air about him that commanded respect.

Kuroko turned his head up and nodded in greeting, seemingly unfazed by the other's presence. "Hello, Akashi-kun. You seem to be doing well."

The man nodded calmly, standing by the table, right next to Kagami. It made him nervous though he'd never admit it. Mismatched eyes studied him critically before he spoke again, "You must be the detective. Kagami Taiga, correct?"

"Yes, that's right." Noticing that Akashi didn't offer his hand, he decided to follow suit and kept his hand firmly wrapped around his cup of tea. Speaking cautiously with planned words, he continued, "It's a pleasure to meet you though I wish the circumstances had been different. I'm the lead detective on the case. I'm not sure how much Kuroko's told you about it already…"

Finally, Akashi took a seat across from them with an unreadable expression on his face. "Case? Tetsuya only informed me that it was something to do with Ryouta. So tell me, what's happened to him? He is no longer with us, is he?"

Too busy with his mental notes of how the redhead referred to his ex-teammates by their first names, Kagami was caught off guard by the other's question. Head snapping up, his eyes widened for a moment before nodding. "Yes. I'm sorry."

Akashi closed his eyes for a moment to take a breath. "Ryouta went missing about ten years ago. For a detective like you to suddenly show up with Tetsuya, it was the only logical reason. Now, before you ask me your questions, tell me about the people you've talked to and the leads you have."

Annoyed at the other's demanding tone, he shot Kuroko a glance who replied silently with the slight shake of his head. Taking the hint and reeling back his temper, he mentally took a deep breath and complied with the other's wishes.

\--

After explaining the case and everything he'd done and getting feedback on it (much to his annoyance), he watched as Akashi pause and take a sip of tea. It fazed him that the other was able to remain so calm and composed whereas everyone else he'd talked to reacted to the news in one way or another. "So you haven't talked to Atsushi yet?"

Kuroko shook his head and answered in his stead, "Not yet. We were hoping to talk to you before approaching him."

Understanding what the other was trying to imply, Akashi nodded. "I see. Very good, I'll give him a call. You can expect full cooperation from Atsushi when you meet him. Now, I suspect that you have questions for me, correct?"

Kagami nodded a little hesitantly. There was an uncomfortable, nagging feeling inside him that told him that no matter what he asked, he'd get judged for it. "Well, first of all, I'm curious about Haizaki."

"Shougo's abilities would've been overtaken by Ryouta's soon enough. I merely gave the two a push in the right way. I let Shougo off softly before Ryouta could actually beat him and allowed Ryouta on the team to help him improve at a faster rate. It was absolute."

"And what about Kise's relationship with Aomine, what were your thoughts on that?"

Akashi shrugged coolly. "I can't say I was surprised. Ryouta's always worn his heart on his sleeves when he was around us. And although Daiki can be dense at times, he was bound to notice. I didn't have anything against them being together since it didn't affect their performance negatively. Of course, that was only when they were playing on the same team. There were repercussions when they entered high school."

"Repercussions?"

Taking a sip of tea, Akashi nodded. "They were both hesitant. Daiki was the more noticeable one. He'd gotten bored of basketball but couldn't quit. As a result, his moves were sloppy. He also hesitated during his match with Ryouta during the Interhigh Tournament. Tetsuya, you must've noticed it as well. As for Ryouta, he was fine playing against anyone other than the members of the Generation of Miracles. He was too sentimental when it came to playing against us. That's why he struggled so much.

"Of course, all this changed after the Winter Cup and Ryouta's disappearance. Daiki became more focussed and now he's where he is. You should probably keep that in mind while you're working on this case. Also, you should probably keep an eye on Daiki to make sure he's dealing with all of this properly."

Kagami raised a brow, wanting to snap back something snarky but refrained, remembering Kuroko's warning from earlier. He didn't understand where Akashi was coming from, the way he just seemed to know everything grated on his nerves though. "I'll…keep that in mind."

"And please inform me when you solve this case."

There was an air of finality with that statement.

"Yes, of course. If-"

"I didn't say  _if_ you solve the case. I said  _when_." Before he could inject a word in, mismatched eyes flashed almost threateningly. "My word is absolute. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have something else to attend to."

And that was that.

\--

Once back on the street, Kagami huffed angrily. "That Akashi guy was so irritating." Rolling his eyes, he did a mocking impression of the Teikou captain. "'My word is absolute.' Does he think he's psychic or something? Ugh, he's the kind of guy I hate the most. I read that he threatened to do bodily harm to himself to motivate his team in high school, is that true?"

Kuroko nodded. "He did that during the semi-finals of the Winter Cup when he was playing against Midorima-kun."

"He's a psychopath."

"But he's almost always right."

Sure, he couldn't argue against the fact that Akashi had the confidence of a natural leader and the logic of a genius, but it didn't make him any less condescending. He frowned. "If he's always right about everything, then why doesn't  _he_ solve this case? Why bother making me run around when he could just go and give everyone closure?"

The shorter man shot him a thoughtful look. "You probably didn't notice, Kagami-kun, but Akashi-kun wasn't completely certain about this."

"What do you mean? He sounded pretty confident to me."

"He never expected Kise-kun to disappear. Akashi-kun is good at reading people and predicting moves. If he never expected it, he can't simply see through it like everything else unless if it's repeated. And since there's no chance of this incident being repeated, he has no way of solving it like he's used to. He probably feels more uncertain and emotionally attached to this case than he let on."

That made him feel a little better about himself. Kagami raised a brow. "So despite all his big talk about absoluteness, he's really just a brat?"

Kuroko shook his head. "He's definitely a genius and a really good ally to have. I'm sure he's going to try his best to help you out with the information you've given him. And the fact that he's absolutely sure that you're going to solve it, I guess, would imply that it was probably done by someone within our circle of acquaintances."

"And how can he be so sure?"

A shrug. "He's a genius. I'm not sure I'd be able to follow his train of thoughts even if I tried."

Letting out a sigh, he decided not to argue about it any further.

\--

A few days later, he received a call from Momoi asking him to check in on Aomine. He raised a brow, pausing from his work. "Huh? Why? What's he doing?"

" _He took a week off from practice, which is fine, but I haven't really heard from him since that day at the police station. He made sure I was got home okay and then I haven't seen him since."_

Resting the phone against his shoulder and his ear, Kagami attempted to get back to his work. "But he's an adult. I'm sure he can take care of himself. I don't think he'd appreciate me suddenly showing up and crashing his party again."

" _Normally, I'd agree with you but from what I've heard, he's been spending all his time alone in his apartment. And he's started drinking apparently."_

"I thought he said it was because the coach didn't allow it."

" _Huh? He doesn't approve of drinking an excess amount but he's never banned it. Besides, Dai-chan never drinks. I don't know what to do. He won't answer any of my calls either."_

Scratching the back of his neck, all he could hear was Akashi's voice in the back of his mind, the one he'd disregarded, telling him to keep an eye on Aomine. "Alright, calm down and don't worry. This is what's going to happen: I'll call Kuroko and we can all go pay him a visit tonight, alright? I'll call you again when I've got the time confirmed with Kuroko."

" _Alright. Thank you, Kagami-san."_

"Don't mention it. I still need something from Aomine's place anyway."

\--

Later that night, the three of them stood outside of Aomine's door once more. To no one's surprise, he opened the door angrily with an unopened can of beer in his hand. Looking at the three with a raised brow, the pro scowled in obvious annoyance. "What the hell do you guys want?"

Not wanting to get the door slammed in his face again, Kagami put a foot down, jamming the door. "Please pardon the intrusion," he let out half-heartedly as he let himself in, ignoring the other's protest. Looking around the interior, he let out an appreciative whistle. "It's really not that bad here. So this is what a real penthouse suite looks like."

Helping himself to the fridge, he grabbed a can of beer only to have the door shut by the other. "Just what do you think you're doing _!_? Isn't this illegal or something? You just  _broke_  into my apartment and now you're  _stealing_  my drinks? Tetsu, Satsuki, don't just stand there. Get him out of here!"

Kagami merely cocked his head and raised a brow. "It's kind of sad drinking alone, isn't it? Besides, I did tell you I'd drop by for that note."

"Ha? That was days ago."

"But like I told you, we had to go meet Akashi. I get this feeling that even you wouldn't go against that guy." He took the silence he received as a yes. "So are you going to kick us out? You've got way more beer in there than any normal person can handle."

After a moment, Aomine finally narrowed his eyes and gave in. "Fine, whatever. I don't care."

Opening the fridge again, he pulled out a beer and passed one over to Kuroko and another to Momoi before opening another for himself. "Thanks. We'll just be helping ourselves then."

"Seriously, Satsuki? But you don't even drink…"

Momoi looked like she was about to protest, but then just to spite him, she opened the can and took a gulp. "There! The only reason I'd ever drink is because you're such an idiot!"

Not wanting to get in the middle of their fight, Kagami quickly asked, "So where's Kise's note?"

Distracted, Aomine pointed towards the staircase. "It's in the box in my room somewhere. You'll see it. Just dig through it until you find it. If there's anything else in there you think you can use, go ahead and use it. It's the last room to the left."

Gesturing at the shorter man, he quickly headed towards the stairs. "Come on, Kuroko."

Beer still unopened in his hand, the other nodded. "Right behind you, Kagami-kun."

\--

Once out of sight, they could hear a resounding 'smack', followed by yelling.

" _Stop acting like you're the only person to have lost Ki-chan! We all lost him! And don't tell me I don't understand just because I didn't lose a lover! I lost a best friend that day! He was just as irreplaceable to me as he was to you! Why can't you understand that? Don't just shut me out to drink your problems away. I…I can't deal with everything on my own. I miss him too, you know? You're not the only one who wants him back!"_

Exchanging glances with Kuroko, they quickly snuck off to Aomine's room. It was surprisingly tidy and like the pro had said, there was a box in the corner. Taking in the sheer size of the place, he couldn't help but gape. "Lifestyle of the rich and famous, hm? This is twice the size of  _my_  bedroom."

"Well, he  _is_ a professional basketball player, it's only expected that his salary can cover something like this," Kuroko spoke indifferently as he walked over to the box, pulling it away from the wall.

Curious, Kagami followed suit and sat down by the box. Opening it, he peered inside and took a gulp of beer before stating the obvious, "There's a lot more in here than just a note. How is it that everyone seems to have a box of Kise's stuff?"

Pulling out a stack of magazines and photos, the detective raised a brow as he finally located the note. He took a glance at it but rather than stopping there, he set it aside and continued digging through the box, coming across an old looking cell phone. Quickly locating the charger in the box, he plugged the phone in and turned it on. Kuroko glanced over. "Kagami-kun, what's that?"

"It looks like Aomine's old phone. This thing must be a decade old, but wow, apparently it still works." It took a while to figure out how to work the thing, but eventually, he found the stash of pictures and began flipping through them. There were pictures of basketball shoes, food, a couple self-portraits and random pictures of people. "Wow, he was so young back then. There are photos of Kise here so it's probably from his high school days. I can't believe he still has this thing."

By that time, Kuroko shuffled over and was looking over his shoulder. "These are definitely high school photos. It looks like Aomine-kun never learnt how to delete old photos from his phone. Wait, go back, what was that photo? No, the next one. The one with a title. That one. Aomine-kun definitely didn't take that one if it's got a title."

"Can't blame him. These things are impossible to work properly." The two of them sat there and blinked at the photo of Kise grinning into the camera, wearing the Touou team's jacket. It was titled ' _Touou does really have nice uniforms!'_  It was dated December 5th. "This was taken on the night he disappeared. I'll have to go back and check with the file to see if there were any clothing remains on the body."

Pressing on random buttons, Kagami stumbled across some sort of history log unintentionally. He really wasn't the most high-tech person in the world. The phones they had in Japan a decade ago were pretty much as high-tech if not more so than the American ones nowadays. It didn't help that his Kanji wasn't as good as it should've been, which is how he meant to press the exit button, but somehow ended up opening the log instead...

\--

_05/12/08 21:32  
From: Kise Ryouta_

_Aominecchi, are you still in the shower~? It's not like you to take super long showers~! \\(=3=)/ I'm getting drinks~! Is there any flavour in particular that you want~? Pocari Sweat maybe~? If you don't answer, I'll just have to get everything~! \\(^0^)/_

_\--_

_05/12/08 21:53  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Pocari Sweat. Hurry up, idiot. I'm thirsty._

_\--_

_05/12/08 22:08  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Oi, Kise, did you get lost? Pick up your phone._

_\--_

_05/12/08 22:10  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_The store's less than a block away. You didn't get molested by a fan or something, did you?_

_\--_

_05/12/08 22:11  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Pick up your phone._

_\--_

_05/12/08 22:13  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Seriously, this isn't funny. Pick up your phone, you idiot._

_\--_

_05/12/08 22:15  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I'm coming down to find you. You're so dead once I get my hands on you._

_\--_

_05/12/08 23:31  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Everyone's looking for you right now. Where'd you go?_

_\--_

_06/12/08 00:02  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Kise, pick up your stupid phone already!_

_\--_

_06/12/08 00:05  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Did I do something to piss you off!_?  _I'm sorry, okay!_?

\--

_06/12/08 00:09  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I'm so going to fucking kill you once we find you._

_\--_

_06/12/08 01:23  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Kise, call me. I promise I won't get too pissed off._

_\--_

_06/12/08 02:07  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I left the door unlocked._

_\--_

_06/12/08 03:46  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Fuck you. I'm going to sleep._

_\--_

_06/12/08 09:02  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_The police were called. Seriously, where are you?_

_\--_

_06/12/08 13:29  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Apparently they think you might've been kidnapped. That's just stupid, isn't it?_

_\--_

_06/12/08 16:37  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_You can see yourself all over the news, right?_

_\--_

_07/12/08 10:43  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_If you're not going to contact me, at least call someone and let them know you're okay. I'd rather hear it through the grapevine than not at all._

_\--_

_07/12/08 14:55  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I swear, I'm not even mad anymore. Just stop worrying everybody. Satsuki's been crying non-stop for days now._

_\--_

_07/12/08 19:20  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_If you call me, I promise I'll play 1-on-1 with you for the rest of your life._

_\--_

_07/12/08 22:14  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Fine, fuck you too! I'm going to quit basketball, let's see how you like that!_

_\--_

_08/12/08 11:08  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_You took my fucking jacket, you jackass!_

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:29  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Kise, whatever I did, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to call you a jackass or anything. I'll even promise to never buy another porno magazine if you call me._

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:32  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Are you angry that I never tell you how much I love you?_

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:36  
To: Kise Ryouta [1/2]_

_I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love_

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:36  
To: Kise Ryouta [2/2]_

_you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you._

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:38  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_There, is that better?_

_\--_

_09/12/08 19:41  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_What? Still not good enough? Impossible to please, aren't you? I'm not typing all that again so too bad._

_\--_

_09/12/08 23:18  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I think I'm going to turn in early. Goodnight._

_\--_

_09/12/08 23:18  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Just so you know...I love you._

_\--_

_10/12/08 15:51  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Ryou made a really awesome lunchbox today._

**_[Photo attached]_ **

**_\--_ **

_12/12/08 02:03  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Please come back. I humbly request that you return._

_\--_

_25/12/08 00:00  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Merry Christmas._

_\--_

_25/12/08 20:42  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Check out all the presents I got. Was Santa even able to find you?_

**_[Photo attached]_ **

**_\--_ **

_01/01/09 00:00  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Happy New Years._

_\--_

_18/06/09 00:00  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Happy birthday. I remembered this year._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_05/12/09 21:00  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_It's been a year already…you can still come back any time you'd like, you know?_

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_18/06/10 00:01  
To: Kise Ryouta_

…

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_06/12/10 03:48  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Just in case you didn't know, I'm playing in a real team full of pros now. In other news, you've ruined December for me for the rest of my life. But I'd still take you back if you came back._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_05/12/11 22:17  
To: Kise Ryouta [1/2]_

_Three years. It's been three years now. You know what? I'm not going to send you any more of these. I've done so much in my life already, I don't need you. I'm on the national team. I've broken records. I sleep with models with_

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_05/12/11 22:17  
To: Kise Ryouta [2/2]_

_huge racks now, so fuck you. I don't even know why I'm still so hung up about you. Fuck, I should just throw this thing out._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_But you can still come back._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_29/07/18 21:45  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Tetsu and Satsuki just came by with a detective and I just sent a really hot chick home. You can't be dead._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_30/07/18 03:53  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I went to the outdoor court at Teikou to shoot some hoops. I kissed you there. Do you remember?_

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_30/07/18 04:12  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Why'd I have to meet you? Do you have any idea what you've done to my life? No one ever told me it'd be this hard. Fuck, I have to head to the police station later. Fuck._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_30/07/18 04:27  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I wish you'd come back and haunt me. At least then, I'd still have you around._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_You can still come back if you'd like._

_._

_._

_._

_I wouldn't mind at all._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The texts start in 2008 because that's when the series started, in case you're curious.


	11. Chapter 11

"Oi, what are you guys looking at over there?"

The two of them reeled around to find Aomine standing there with an angry, red handprint on his cheek and a new can of beer in his hand. Feeling like he'd just been caught red-handed, he exchanged guilty glances with Kuroko for a moment before confessing, "We found your old phone." Glancing behind the pro in hopes of seeing Momoi, he raised a brow at the empty hallway. "What happened to Momoi?"

Momentarily distracted by the question, the tanned man rubbed the handprint on his cheek and sighed, "There's a reason Satsuki doesn't normally drink. She's never been able to hold her liquor. She took one sip, got really pissed off at me, slapped me, yelled at me and then promptly fell asleep on the couch. I put her in the guest room-yeah, that's right. I've got one of those too. So what are you doing with my phone? I thought you were looking for the note."

Not even bothering to look for it again, Kagami merely pointed at the phone. "We found the note, but there's also a picture of Kise in your high school uniform jacket on your phone here. Was this the last thing you saw him in?"

Aomine shrugged. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what he went in to go get drinks. That, or I misplaced it and never found it again even after I moved."

"Would you mind if I got a copy of it?" He paused and furrowed his brows when the two began staring at him with strange expressions on their faces, one skeptical and the other annoyed. "…what? Why are you guys looking at me like that? Stop it." After thinking about it for another moment, he understood and reddened. "Oh! No! Get your minds out of the gutter! It's for the file! Taking evidence for personal purposes is unprofessional!"

Kuroko looked at him pointedly. "What are you trying to say, Kagami-kun? If it wasn't evidence, you wouldn't have an issue taking it?"

"No! Of course not! Hurry up, Aomine, is that a yes or no?"

The pro rubbed the back of his neck, clearly not sold on the idea. But in the end, he agreed, "Fine, I guess. Can I just email it to you or something?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that'd work too. Looks like you kept a lot of Kise's things."

"Anything I could," the other man admitted quietly. "So, is there anything useful in there? Or can we move this downstairs to avoid waking Satsuki up?"

Quickly nodding, he gathered up some of the things that'd stuck out and stood up. "Oh, yeah, sure, let's head down."

\--

_Going out for a bit, I'll be right back~!_

_-Ryouta_

_\--_

Kagami stared at the note, mind unable to fully comprehend that it'd been written by the victim. First there were the messages and now the note. It'd been so easy for him to distance himself from the case and treat Kise as a fictional character for the sake of objectivity all this time, but seeing something that'd been handwritten by the golden boy himself made things a little too real for him. Reaching over and grabbing Kuroko's untouched beer, he popped it open and took a sip while his mind tried to take everything in.

Shaking his head to himself, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to recall all the facts he had on the case. "Okay, so…so far, we have an hour time frame in which the crime most likely occurred and the clothes Kise was last seen wearing, which I'll have to double check with the file. Oh wait," he pulled out his phone, "maybe Alex is still at the office, let me give her a call."

Aomine blinked, recalling his visit to their office with some interest. "Alex? Is that the blonde that made out with Satsuki? She is, isn't she? You have a really hot boss, you know that?"

Kuroko shot him another look while he tried his best to wave them off, pretending to concentrate on the phone call. "Hello? Alex? Are you still at the office? Yeah, I just wanted to confirm something. Did the file say anything about the victim's clothing? I want to see if it matches what eyewitnesses are saying. Alright, yeah, I can wait. Thanks."

"Kise."

He blinked and looked over at the tanned man whose fists were clenched. "What?"

The pro frowned darkly at him. "It's  _Kise,_  not 'the victim'."

Suddenly, guilt rushed over him as though he'd just been caught committing a crime. Ducking his head, Kagami apologized sheepishly, "Yeah, sorry about that." Then Alex returned to the phone, "Oh hey, yeah. What? Are you sure? Is that normal? Maybe it decayed or something? No? Alright then. Thanks. And what? This Sunday? Alright, thanks. Be careful on your way home. Bye."

Kuroko cocked his head curiously. "So what'd she say?"

Unsure of how the two would take the news, he spoke cautiously, "According to the file, the body had been stripped of all clothes." Judging by the two's horrified stares, he assumed that they'd jump to the same conclusion he did a moment ago. Hastily, he added, "Wait, remember that we don't have all the facts yet. What you're probably thinking might not necessarily be true."

Aomine snarled, clearly shaken by the news. "What I'm thinking? You're telling me that Kise was stripped before he died and that's still not enough for me to jump to conclusions _!_? What exactly am I suppose to assume then _!_? This is Kise we're talking about!"

The detective frowned worriedly. "Aomine..."

Eyes darkening and sounding more tired and older than he really was, Aomine sighed. "Don't bother. Actually, you know what? I…fuck, I just don't want to think about it anymore." Shaking his head, he got up on unsteady legs and began walking away without finishing his drink. "I'm going to head to bed or something. You guys can show yourselves out."

Kagami exchanged glances with Kuroko for a moment before getting up sombrely. "Come on, Kuroko, I'll walk you back." There was nothing he could say that would make the news more bearable to hear. Comforting the other wasn't an option either, since his own mind had come up with the same conclusion and was still reeling from the very idea to think of other possibilities.

For the rest of the night, neither of them spoke until they parted ways.

\--

On Sunday, the two of them stood outside a pastry shop while they waited for Tatsuya to show up. Neither of them mentioned the night at Aomine's as they stood there and watched as people walked past them. Glancing over at the other, he asked casually, "So, is there anything I should know about Murasakibara before we go in there? Because so far, every member of the Generation of Miracles that I've met so far has been a little…very strange, yourself included. I kind of want to know what to know what I'm walking into this time."

Kuroko shrugged unhelpfully. "Murasakibara-kun might normally seem pretty calm to most people, but he actually isn't. And he can seem intimidating but I think it's unfounded - when you're outside the court anyway. He doesn't take things very seriously so you might want to watch out for that when you're talking to him."

He raised a brow. "Oh? It sounds like you two got along well."

The shorter man nodded. "We got along well when at the beginning of middle school but that fell apart pretty quickly after we joined the basketball club."

Blinking at the unexpected answer, he asked, "Why?"

"A difference in opinions. Murasakibara-kun only played basketball because he was good at it, and not because he enjoyed the sport or anything. I didn't agree with that so it caused a lot of tension between us. I still like him as a person though. I wonder how he's been… Working in a pastry shop," his lips twitched, forming a slight smile. "I'm surprised they haven't gone out of business yet."

Trying his best not to stare, he mentally thanked his stars when his partner showed up with his usual smile on his face and something tucked under his arm. "Taiga, Kuroko, sorry for making you wait. Alex insisted that I drop her off somewhere for lunch first. Come on, let's go see if Atsushi's busy."

\--

Entering the store, the bell chimed happily, announcing their presence, earning them a warm welcome from the staff. There were a couple customers in the shop, but it didn't look too busy. Kuroko narrowed his eyes at the sight of one of the customers. "Kiyoshi-sempai, is that you?"

The tall brunet at the counter turned around and blinked for a moment before beaming happily. "Oh hey, Kuroko! It's been awhile! How've you been?"

The shorter male dipped his head. "I've been doing fine. What are you doing here?"

Kiyoshi smiled and held up a couple grocery bags. "I'm running errands for Riko and Hyuuga! Isn't that nice? It's like they've included me as part of their family!"

Kuroko replied as expressionlessly as ever, "I thought it was because you always end up at their place for one reason or another. It makes sense that they finally decided to make the most of an uninvited pet."

Warm brown eyes blinked in confusion. "What? They have a pet? Since when? I've been over there at least a couple times a week and I've never seen one. Is it cute? I didn't even know Hyuuga liked animals. But I guess he liked Tetsuya #2, hm? Do you think it's a dog?"

Watching their interaction, all Kagami could think was, ' _Wow,_   _that guy's really dense.'_

As the man who'd been helping the brunet returned, Kiyoshi grinned excitedly. "Oh! You'll never guess who works here!" He pointed to the even taller man behind the counter. "Look, it's Murasakibara! Isn't it a small world?"

The purple haired man scowled almost childishly as he passed the box of desserts over to the brunet. "I still don't like you and I wish you'd stop coming in so often. You're too happy; it makes me want to crush you." Clearly being ignored, he turned to Kuroko. "Hello, Kuro-chin, I haven't seen you in a really long time. Are you here with Muro-chin?"

The shorter man nodded. "Yes, I'm here with Himuro-san and Kagami-kun."

Kiyoshi blinked and looked over at the detectives. "Oh, I didn't notice them at all! Hi, my name's Kiyoshi Teppei." He looked at them seriously for a moment before continuing, "Kiyoshi, it's written with the 'ki' from 'tree', and the 'yoshi' from 'fortune'. And Teppei. The 'te' is from 'iron' and the 'pei' from 'palm', like the palm of your hand."

Rather uncharacteristically, Kuroko snorted. "Sempai, I don't think they'll need to know how to write your name."

' _Great, I'm stuck in a pastry shop with a giant behind the counter and this guy's a total airhead.'_

Despite his thoughts, Kagami stuck his hand out politely. "I'm Kagami Taiga and that's Himuro Tatsuya."

Shaking hands, Kiyoshi reached into the box and took one of the tarts out and began munching on it. "It's nice to meet you two. So why are you here with Kuroko?"

"He's helping us on a case right now."

The taller man's eyes widened, clearly impressed. "A case? Like a mystery? Wow, Kuroko, you're a detective now? I thought you worked with children at a daycare."

Kuroko appeared unfazed by the older man. "I do. And aren't those pastries for Hyuuga-sempai and the coach?"

Blinking, the brunet looked down at the box. "Huh? Hey, it's missing one!"

"You just ate it, sempai."

"And you still need to pay for those," Murasakibara chimed from the other side of the counter.

Kiyoshi let out a laugh and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Right! Guess I better pay for these and get them back to Riko before she gets mad at me! She's got the craziest cravings, you know? Don't tell her I told you, but I think she's been putting on weight from eating so much."

It was very impressive how Kuroko managed to keep a straight face and wasn't massaging his temples like he was tempted to just from watching them. "Sempai…she's pregnant."

Brown eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Seriously? Who's the father? Does Hyuuga know?"

' _Are you serious? …and now he's eating another tart. Unbelievable.'_

_\--_

After waving goodbye to the brunet who ended up having to buy a whole new box of pastries, he turned to Kuroko and began slowly, "Well, he was certainly an interesting character."

"Kiyoshi-sempai was actually the founder of our basketball club."

He raised a brow skeptically. "Seriously? He managed to recruit people, a couch, and actually create a club from scratch? The guy that just left?"

Kuroko nodded. "Sempai's actually a lot smarter than he leads people to believe. He really loved basketball but had to stop after that Winter Cup because of his knee injury."

That gave him a slightly better impression of the man though he still had a hard time believing everything he'd just been told. "Oh, well, anyway, I guess we should get to work, right, Tatsuya?"

His partner nodded and called out to the figure currently sampling some of the desserts from behind the counter. "Atsushi, do you have a minute? We were hoping you could help us on this case we're working on right now. Look, I even bought you a pack of the newest flavour of that snack you were talking about the other time."

Violet eyes glanced over before reluctantly dragging his feet over. "Fine. Just because I like you and because you bring me snacks whenever you visit me. That, and Aka-chin called me the other day too and told me to be helpful, so I guess I really don't have a choice. This is about Kise-chin, right?" Reaching out, he accepted the snacks from Tatsuya and took a seat at a table nearby and began eating.

' _Aka-chin? Either they're really good friends or he's really brave. Maybe he's just crazy…all height and no brains? He's like a child.'_

"Do you normally do everything Akashi tells you to?"

The taller man paused in his munching to blink. "Yes, I think I normally do. It's not a smart move to go against Aka-chin and to upset him."

Unable to argue with that, he took a seat across the taller man. Studying the other, he couldn't help but notice the disinterested look on his face, which wasn't really an expression he saw often while he was on the job. "So what was your relationship with Kise like? Did you two get along?"

Murasakibara raised his head to exchange glances with Kuroko, who was standing around, as though double checking his answer. "I'd say we did. What do you think, Kuro-chin? We got along, right? He shared the snacks he promoted with me and I shared my snacks with him sometimes. Kise-chin was so cute, he got along with everyone." Unwrapping a piece of candy, he stared at it for a moment before popping it into his mouth. "Have you told Mine-chin and Momo-chin?"

The answer wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. Nodding, he glanced over at Tatsuya, wondering why his partner enjoyed the pastry chef's company so much. "Yeah, we've already talked to them. When was the last time you saw Kise?"

"It was probably the night he went missing."

"Oh? At the banquet?"

The man shook his head. "I saw him there, but also later that night."

He blinked. "Wait, what? He was staying at Aomine's at the time though."

Murasakibara nodded in agreement. "He was. Kise-chin looked really happy about it too. I went to Yousen for high school so we had to stay at a hotel when we came for the Winter Cup. It was pretty close to Mine-chin's place."

That caught his attention. "So when did you last see Kise?"

"I saw him at the convenience store that night. I went out because I'd ran out of snacks and he was buying drinks from what I remember."

"Do you remember what time it was? Did you guys talk for very long?"

Violet eyes glanced upwards in thought as he continued polishing off the snacks Tatsuya had brought him at an alarming rate. "What time…? My best guess would be around 9:30? We didn't talk for very long, Kise-chin was in a hurry to get back. He said that he didn't want Mine-chin to get mad or worried."

He nodded, that fit in with the time frame he'd set up in his mind. "Do you remember what he was wearing that night?"

Murasakibara shrugged. "Kise-chin was wearing Mine-chin's jacket, that's the only thing I really remember about his clothes. We paid for our things together. Kise-chin was really excited about getting to spend most of his holiday together with Mine-chin since most of his photo shoots were done or something. We must've talked for maybe five, ten minutes?"

\--

" _And I even got him this present that I'm thinking about giving him tomorrow. I spent a really long time picking it out, so hopefully he'll like it. Oh, I got a lot of samples for this snacks I did an ad for! They taste really good! Will you still be around tomorrow or maybe back for Christmas? I'll get it to you somehow."_

_He had draped himself over the blond as they stepped outside. "I'll still be around tomorrow. Kise-chin, you're so energetic today."_

_Kise grinned happily. "I can't help it. I love the holidays! And I get to spend most of it with Aominecchi! He promised to play one-on-one with me tomorrow! Maybe we can invite Kurokocchi too!"_

" _Hmm? It sounds like you'll have lots of fun. Say hi to Mine-chin and Kuro-chin for me."_

" _I will! Why don't you come with us?"_

" _I don't like playing basketball during my free time."_

" _Right, I completely forgot. That's too bad. Oh here, why don't you take these complimentary coupons? It's for a new cake shop that opened up around here, a fan gave them to me."_

" _Really? Is that okay?"_

" _Yeah, don't worry about it! I'll probably get more…" he trailed off as they spotted a figure standing in the shadows a little ways away._

_Stepping under the light, the stranger revealed himself. "Ryouta."_

_The blond frowned. "Shougo-kun."_

_He tightened his grip slightly at the sight of Haizaki. "Kise-chin?"_

_Kise stepped out of his hold and turned around with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Murasakibaracchi. I don't think he's going to do anything. It's cold, so you might as well head back to the hotel. I'll go straight back to Aominecchi's right after, I promise."_

" _Hmm? Are you sure?"_

" _Yeah, I'll be fine! Goodnight, I'll call you tomorrow about the snacks!"_

_\--_

Kagami narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "What'd you say?"

' _That bastard, Haizaki…'_


	12. Chapter 12

"Haizaki." Kagami scowled as he made his way towards the criminal, doing his best to refrain from stomping around and breaking things like he wanted to. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you again, damn it."

"Oh?" The other man merely raised a brow and watched him calmly, chipper even. "Back so soon, detective?"

"So you were there that night."

Haizaki's eyes flashed with understanding, but his easy tone remained unchanged. "So I was."

Seething, he sat down in the seat and crossed his arms. "Would you care to explain why you conveniently left this particular piece of information out the last time I was here? I don't exactly enjoy making these visitation trips."

A smirk graced the other's features. "That's a shame, because I happen to enjoy your smile and charming personality a lot."

He frowned, cutting straight to the point. "According to the last witness we interviewed, Kise went to talk to you after coming out of a convenience store, right before his disappearance. That makes you the last person to see Kise Ryouta alive, which makes you the prime suspect for this case again. It's not looking good for you, Haizaki. You  _do_  realize that capital punishment is legal in this country, right?"

This caused the criminal's grin to fall as he sat up defensively. "Whoa. Wait a minute. I'm the prime suspect? Why? For talking to Ryouta before he died? You're seriously going to pin his death on me because I stepped on him during a fucking basketball game and talked to him that night? All I did was tell him to fuck off!"

Kagami raised a brow. "Why? What'd he say to you?"

"That bastard had the nerve to bring up how his boy-toy punched me in the face."

\--

_Amber eyes narrowed warily as the blond approached him. "Shougo-kun, what are you doing here?"_

" _Huh? I'm staying this chick's place nearby."_

" _I see. How's the eye?"_

_He sneered and laughed sarcastically. "Probably as tender as your ass right now."_

" _Look, I wanted to apologize about it. Aominecchi-"_

" _Just fuck off, Ryouta."_

_Undaunted, Kise shrugged coolly. "Sure." Then he raised his eyes and saw something in the distance. "Oh, I have to go. Have a good night, Shougo-kun."_

_\--_

Haizaki leaned forward, eyes serious. "Then he walked away. It must've been someone he recognized. It was probably one of those basketball junkies, since I saw Ryouta walking towards some guy by the basketball court. So I was definitely  _not_  the last person to see him that night."

Kagami couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Why couldn't you have mentioned this before? It would've saved the both of us a lot of trouble."

The other man rolled his eyes, sounding equally annoyed with the situation, "Because I wasn't the fucking prime suspect before. I might be a criminal, but I'm not a killer."

"Do you remember anything about the guy at the basketball court?"

The criminal shook his head unhelpfully. "Not really, he was far away and he wasn't exactly dressed in bright colours." Scratching the back of his neck, he pulled his lips taut. "Actually, now that I think about it, it might've been one of the guys from Daiki's school. The jacket looked similar enough. I guess it makes sense."

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he frowned. "And why would you say that?"

Haizaki gave another shrug. "I'm just saying, some people take sports way too seriously, you know? While  _I_  personally didn't give a shit about basketball, definitely not enough to kill over it, I'm sure some of those guys thought of it as their life or something melodramatic like that. So it'd make sense to me if it was some guy from Daiki's team that did Ryouta in." Resting his head on the palm of his hand, he smirked arrogantly. "I wasn't the only one he surpassed. Given Ryouta's skills, there was nothing he couldn't do with a little training. It was only a matter of time before he overtook all the other members of the Generation of Miracles."

The detective raised a brow. "So you're suggesting that someone from Aomine's team killed Kise because he would've become a better player than Aomine?"

"Well,  _I_ definitely didn't kill him. And besides, you're the cop here, so you should know." He gestured to the building they were in. "There are tons of people locked up in here who've killed people for dumber things than a sport."

Kagami eyed the other man closely for a moment before getting up. Despite the arrogant attitude, he could see fear and uncertainty in the criminal's eyes. The man might've deserved a worse punishment, but he wasn't one to condemn someone for a crime they didn't commit. "I suppose I'll look into it. But trust me when I say: if I have to come back and see you again, you can expect to hear nothing but bad news."

As he left, he could hear the other letting out a faint sigh of relief.

\--

Making his way down the street, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his boss. "Hello, Alex? Are you busy right now? What do you mean the press have been calling you non-stop? Just direct them elsewhere-like an answering machine! Look, I need you to look something up for me. Should I call someone else to do it? You can do it discreetly, right? Alright. I'm going to need the contact info for the regulars from Touou. Yeah, that was Aomine's team. I'll explain it to you later. Yeah, it was something Haizaki said. I know he's not exactly trustworthy, but it can't hurt to look into it. I'm meeting up with Kuroko right now. Yeah, swing by my place when you've got it then. Thanks."

\--

Standing by their usual burger joint, he felt a twinge of pride when he spotted the shorter man instead of being caught off guard as usual. Waving, he made his way over, meeting the other half way. "Hey, let's head back to my place. I'll whip something up if you're hungry. The media's been going crazy over this story, so it's probably better to not talk about this in public."

Kuroko nodded, agreeing easily to the idea.

\--

Once they reached his apartment and stepped inside, he went straight into the kitchen to fix himself a snack. The shorter man followed him in. "You'd make a really good wife, Kagami-kun."

Raising a brow, he frowned. "And just what's that supposed to mean?"

Kuroko shrugged and immediately changed the subject. "Nothing. So you talked to Haizaki-kun today, right? How did that go?"

He shrugged as they began to walk. "It went about as well as it could. That guy pisses me off whenever I see him. He was pretty cooperative after he turned into the prime suspect though. He admitted to being there that night but said that Kise saw someone else he knew and went to talk to them. Couldn't give me a description or anything, but he swears that he wasn't the last person to see Kise alive. Do you think he could've done it?"

Taking a moment to ponder the question, Kuroko gave a slight nod. "I don't think he'd ever kill over a sport, but maybe if his pride got bruised enough… For some reason, I don't think Haizaki-kun did it."

Kagami shrugged nonchalantly. "I think so too. That guy's all bark and no bite. He's the kind of guy who'd go out of his way to make someone's life miserable, but he has no killing intent. Besides, that still doesn't explain how the body was transported."

"So that means an adult was involved?"

He nodded in agreement, eyes never leaving the food. "It's most likely an adult or at least someone older who had access to a car. Haizaki seemed to think that it was someone from Aomine's team. Of course, he only said that whoever Kise went to talk to wasn't wearing bright colours and a jacket of some kind. He said that Kise was a threat because he was talented and took him out because of that. What are your thoughts on this?"

"I," Kuroko began slowly, "I wish I could rule that possibility out. Although I find it very hard to believe, I can't say it's impossible. There will always be those who think of basketball as more than just a sport or those who feel that winning is all there is to life. Kise-kun _was_ very talented. No doubt, he would've easily surpassed quite a few members of the Generation of Miracles if he'd been given a bit more time."

"Do you think he would've surpassed Aomine?"

A shrug. "It's hard to say. They were both monsters on the court. Aomine-kun still had a lot of room for growth so I couldn't say for certain who would've been better by the end of high school."

Turning the stove off, he stood there in thought for a moment. "Hey, Kuroko?"

"Yes?"

Remembering those messages sent and the ones left unsent after the blonde's disappearance, he couldn't imagine what kind of reaction he'd have if he found out that Kise might've been killed because of basketball. For a moment, he almost wished that Haizaki had been lying and that he was actually the killer.

"Until we get something more concrete than Haizaki's hazy memories, best not to tell any of this to Aomine."

\--

Alex dropped by (to be more accurate, she barged in) when they were asleep, having fallen asleep on the couch while watching television. He slowly drifted back towards consciousness when she called his name, loudly as always. After years of practice, he learnt to sleep through her random and often loud entrances.

Before he slipped back into blissful sleep, faintly, he could hear Kuroko speaking next to him. "Please be quiet, Kagami-kun's asleep."

\--

When Kagami came to again, he could hear voices talking softly over his head.

He sat up with a start.

On the other couch, Alex was finishing off whatever food he'd left for her from earlier and Kuroko was still sitting next to him. "Did you have a nice sleep, Kagami-kun?"

The woman grinned knowingly at him. "Oh hey, you're up, Taiga. Did you enjoy napping in Kuroko's lap?"

Quickly looking over to the shorter man, he realized in horror what'd just happened. Face heating up, he immediately apologized, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry about this, Kuroko. You should've just shaken me awake or something!"

Kuroko shrugged indifferently though the amusement in his voice rang loud and clear. "It's alright. I didn't mind. You have surprisingly soft hair, Kagami-kun."

In the back of his mind, he tried to recall the last time he'd blushed so hard.

Alex shook her head. "Just look at you, Taiga, blushing like a schoolgirl! How cute! I haven't seen you this embarrassed since back at the academy!"

_Oh god, I'm stuck in a room with a pair of sadists. Wait, did Kuroko pet my hair? Or was he just saying that to make me uncomfortable? I can't believe I used him as a pillow. But he said he didn't mind - damn it, now is definitely not the right time to be thinking about that stuff! Just stop thinking, Taiga! Stop thinking! Come on, mind, just shut up already! Wait, those two were talking. Fuck. What were they talking about? Shut up mind! I need you to stop wandering to useless thoughts! We've got sadists to deal with here! Focus!_

"Shut up, Alex! I'm not blushing!" was the only intelligent reply he could come up with in the end.

He  _wasn't._

_\--_

After making dinner for them and putting up with their double teaming, Kuroko left on the account that he had work the next morning. Alex leered at him. "I must say, that kid really grows on you."

Kagami rolled his eyes. "You're just saying that because you're both sadists. Two of a kind. Kindred spirits and whatnot."

She merely shrugged, not denying his claim. "You should've seen the way you slept in his lap like an oversized dog."

Willing his face not to heat up, he frowned, asking as casually as he could, "Just what were you two talking about while I was asleep anyway?"

His boss shot him a smirk that spoke for itself. "It's a secret and it'd be unethical for me to tell you."

The redhead snorted skeptically. "Really, Alex? Being unethical never seemed to deter you from doing anything before."

"Is that any way to talk to your boss and someone you're trying to pry a secret from?"

"Come on. Just tell me already."

Alex shook her head, clearly unwilling to budge on the subject. "Nope. I absolutely refuse." Then she added, "Actually, now that I think about it, I think you might be more like a cat than a dog with the way you were practically  _purring_  while he was petting you."

The temperature in his face rose so quickly, he was surprise his head didn't explode.

\--

The next day, Kagami found himself sitting in the interrogation room with one of Aomine's old teammates: Sakurai Ryou. According to the information Alex had dug up for him, the shorter man was a lawyer, working for a decent law firm. The brunet before him looked nothing like a lawyer. He had large, fearful eyes, and Kagami could only raise a brow at the timid man sitting before him. How did someone like that survive on the same team as someone like Aomine let alone become a lawyer? Before he could begin his questioning, the smaller man immediately began apologizing about something, though exactly what he was apologizing for, he wasn't sure.

With all that apologizing, it made Kagami wonder if the young man had killed Kise or if he was just thought everything wrong in the world was somehow his fault. He remained silent until the brunet calmed himself down again. Then, trying his best not to startle the other, he asked lightly, "So, do you even any idea why you're in here?"

Raising his head with a start, large brown eyes stared at him for a long moment as though he hadn't expected to be spoken to. Then slowly, he answered hesitantly, "Yes? Sorry, not really, I actually don't."

At least now, he knew that the brunet was capable of intelligent responses. "Kise Ryouta. Does that name ring a bell?"

Sakurai blinked. "Kise-san? Oh, is this about his body being discovered in that lake? Is it really true then? I read about it in the newspaper. I'm really sorry about his death. He was such a nice person."

He raised a brow. "Oh? You knew him personally? So I take it that you knew about his relationship with Aomine as well?"

The brunet nodded in affirmation. "Yes, everyone on both our teams knew about them. I mainly became acquainted with Kise-san because apparently Aomine-san liked the lunchboxes that I made, so Kise-san came to me for cooking tips and whatnot. So then I ended up teaching him how to make lunchboxes and simple dishes. Did I do something wrong?"

Kagami shook his head reassuringly, feeling on the edge around someone who looked like he was ready to run, or burst into tears, or both, at any moment. He was beginning to doubt the credibility of Alex's information because the smaller man definitely could  _not_  be a lawyer. "Not that I know of…yet, anyway. What were your thoughts on their relationship? I would assume that a lot of people didn't approve of them."

"Yes, but that never bothered Aomine-san…not very much ever bothered him. And as for what I thought about them…my opinion really shouldn't be taken into heavy consideration or anything since it's really not that important, but I thought they were very dazzling people. They were both really good at basketball, and outside of the court, they were amazing in their own way. Kise-san was," he hesitated, "a very good looking person and he was really nice to me while Aomine-san pushed us and gave us something to strive for. When they were together though, you could see that they were very different people. And at first, I have to admit that I didn't really approve of them either."

"Why?"

A little embarrassedly, Sakurai admitted quietly, "I thought that Kise-san could've done better. He could've, you know, found someone more…receptive of his feelings. I have nothing but respect for Aomine-san but…"

He nodded encouragingly, not wanting the brunet to retreat back to his shield of apologies and self-blame again. "But?"

Averting eye contact, the smaller man continued, "I'm really sorry. At first, I doubted his feelings towards Kise-san."

"At first? Does that mean you changed your mind about it afterwards?"

Sakurai dipped his head. "I did. You see, Kise-san used to come to our school when he had off days and…"

\--

" _Sakurai-kun, have you seen Aominecchi? He better not have gone home already. I told him I was coming today and specifically told him to wait for me! And he's not picking up his phone for some reason, that stupid ganguro."_

_Giving a start at being addressed, his first instinct was to apologize. "I'm sorry! ("Huh? What? Why are you apologizing?") Aomine-san's probably on the roof, that's where he normally goes when he skips practice."_

_Kise nodded and shot him a smile. "On the roof? Got it, thanks! Wait, he told me that he didn't have anything to do today, that liar!" Then he heaved an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Damn, and I came all this way to see him too. What a waste of my day off. Don't worry, Sakurai-kun, I'll go find him and make him go to practice."_

_Sakurai's eyes widened. "K-Kise-san, you don't need to…ah, he's already gone."_

_Worried, he decided to follow the blond to the roof. And once he got up there, he could practically hear Kise scowling as he spoke, so he stayed hidden behind the door._

_The model had his hands at his hips as he frowned. "Aominecchi, you told me you were free today! I can't believe I came all this way just to be told that you have practice today, you liar!"_

_Meanwhile, Aomine was on his back and had a finger plugging one of his ears, answering with furrowed brows. "Shut up! God, you're so loud, Kise! I told you I was free because I **am**! I don't need to go to practice!"_

_Kise's hands dropped to his side as his voice softened. "But you never missed practice at Teikou…"_

_Sitting up in annoyance, the taller boy huffed impatiently."Yeah, well, that was then and this is now, alright? Just drop it already. It's annoying! It's not like practice's all that important anyway!"_

_There was a long paused between the two._

" _So then, between me and basketball, which do you like more **now** , Aominecchi?"_

_Sakurai hadn't expected to hear their ace hesitate when answering._

_Pushing himself up, Aomine sighed and placed a hand on Kise's head, speaking surprisingly gently, "...you idiot. I'm going to choose basketball, of course."_

_An unreadable expression flickered across Kise's face for a moment before it turned back into impatience. "Then go to practice already! Your teammates are all waiting for you!"_

_\--_

Sakurai was twiddling his thumbs as he continued, "Then shortly after that, Kise-san found out that Aomine-san had been eating my lunchboxes. So he asked me to teach him how to cook…"

\--

" _Sakuraicchi!"_

" _I'm really sorry! I'm really sorry for being alive!" Then he paused and blinked at the blond. "Sakurai...chi?"_

_Not noticing his apologies, Kise clapped his hands together and asked him for a favour. "Could you please teach me how to cook? That idiot Aominecchi wouldn't stop talking about how good your lunches were, so now I'm curious, and a little jealous. So could you show me how to do what you do, please?"_

_He immediately bowed. "I'm really sorry, Kise-san! I didn't mean to divert Aomine-san's attention away from you!"_

_Looking shocked by his words, amber eyes widened as the model tried to calm him down. "Eh? No, there's no need to apologize! Really! It just means that you're really good at cooking, right? So please teach me! I'd like to try making lunch or something, sometime! That's all! There's really no need to apologize! It's okay if you don't want to! I'd understand!"_

_Sakurai shook his head. "N-no, I'd be happy to teach you…really."_

_Immediately, brightening, the blond shot him a sunny smile. "Really? I love you, Sakuraicchi!"_

" _I'm so sorry!"_

_\--_

" _Hey, Ryou, you need to teach Kise how to cook better!"_

" _I-I'm sorry!"_

_Aomine let out a sigh and continued eating from his lunchbox, completely ignoring his apology. He snorted. "Seriously, I thought he was supposed to be good at copying people. Apparently, it doesn't apply to cooking or maybe he got bored and didn't pay proper attention. Either way, make sure he practices more before making me lunch again! Ah, this sucks…"_

_Sakurai watched as Aomine continued eating though his complaints never ceased. "D-did you want my lunchbox instead, Aomine-san?"_

_The dark haired boy paused to consider the offer before shaking his head. "Nah, it's alright. I mean, it's not particularly delicious or anything, but it's edible. No point in wasting perfectly good food. Besides, I'd never hear the end of it if Kise found out. He'd probably cry and be all like 'Aominecchi, you're so mean! I put so much time and effort in to preparing this for you! I even made all your favourite dishes! I can't believe you didn't finish it!' or even worse, he'd get all depressed and say something stupid and girly like 'I guess it wasn't any good, sorry.' and then he'd tell Satsuki and then she'd get on my case as well. Both scenarios are seriously annoying!"_

_He could've sworn there was affection in the other's voice as he said all that._

_\--_

Sakurai had a small smile on his lips as he spoke about his memories from high school. "Every time Kise-san made him lunch, without fail, he'd complain about it but he'd eat it all. I never asked Kise-san directly, but I think he knew that Aomine-san treated him especially nicely. To Aomine-san, Kise-san was definitely special."

He nodded in agreement. "So it would seem. You don't think he'd be capable of ever harming Kise then?"

Eyes widening, Sakurai quickly shook his head. "No, definitely not. I think it was clear that he cared a lot about Kise-san."

"And what about you? You said you didn't accept them at first and then changed your mind. That's fine and all, but what'd you think about them individually? You respected them both, alright, but was there anything more to it?"

A little bewildered, the brunet answered, "H-huh? No, I respected Aomine-san as a player and liked being around him as a friend…if he ever thought of me as that, and that's it."

"And what about Kise?"

"Kise-san was a very dazzling person. I admired him a lot. I don't think anyone could've been a better match for him than Aomine-san."

Kagami raised a brow. "Sounds to me like you had a bit of a crush on him."

Sakurai shook his head again. "I'm sorry. To be honest, I'm not sure if I ever had feelings for Kise-san beyond that of a friend. It's hard to tell when you're in awe whenever you're around them."

It was making him feel terrible for making the other feel so bad. Just by looking at the brunet, he couldn't imagine him being able to hurt anyone (at least not without apologizing profusely before, during, and after the incident). Not wanting to stress the man out any more than he had to, he continued the interview, "What about your teammates then? Do you know what they thought of Aomine and Kise's relationship? Or about Kise in general?"

"I-I couldn't say for sure. But I think most of them were indifferent. Or if they didn't like it, they never really mentioned it…at least not out loud to Aomine-san."

"What do you mean by not out loud to Aomine? Does that mean someone said something to Kise?"

"I didn't mean to look, honest!"

\--

_He'd forgotten his notebook in his desk and had ran back to grab it before heading home. As he made his way down the hallway, he noticed Kise standing there and was about to greet the other boy when he noticed the distant look on the blonde's face. Clenched tightly in his hand, there was a piece of paper. Quietly, he asked, "Kise-san?"_

_The blond gave a start and turned around, quickly shoving the piece of paper in his pocket. "Sakuraicchi! You startled me!"_

" _I'm really sorry!"_

" _N-no, you don't have to apologize. It was my fault."_

" _No, I'm sorry for startling you! I'm just scum! I'm sorry for being alive!"_

" _Whoa!_ _Isn't that a little too extreme? Please stop degrading yourself like that! It's depressing me!"_

" _I'm really sorry for depressing you, Kise-san!"_

" _It's fine, so you can stop apologizing!"_

" _I'm sorry!"_

_\--_

It took all his willpower not to laugh at the story. "So you saw what was written on that note?"

Sakurai nodded sullenly.

"And?"

"From what I remember seeing, all it said was ' _Stop seeing Aomine'_."


	13. Chapter 13

"' _Stop seeing Aomine_.' Apparently that's what the note said. And all this happened about a month before his disappearance which would explain the strange behaviour Momoi had mentioned before. Maybe Kise was being threatened." Kagami chewed on his chopsticks as he sat at his desk with his lunch in front of him. "By the way, are you sure that guy was a lawyer?"

Alex walked over and stopped next to his desk. "Sakurai Ryou? He's definitely a lawyer. Haven't you read about him in the newspapers? I have to admit, I was surprised by how…apologetic he was in real life. But when he's in session, you should see how much he changes. He's not the kind of person who'd apologize for anything. And he knows what he's doing. If he told you all of that, my best guess would be that he's not the perpetrator."

He nodded in agreement. "That's what I was thinking. If he did it, instead of coming in, he would've barred himself behind a line of lawyers or something."

His boss' eyes flashed at the statement. "Hiding behind a line of lawyers, hmm? Funny you should mention that. You know who's gone and created a barricade of lawyers right now? Touou's ex-coach. I was looking into him since you brought up this idea that someone from Touou did it. And since the perpetrator needed help from someone who had access to a car or some way of transporting the body, naturally, I checked the coach out and found him hiding already."

Kagami frowned, mind processing everything the woman was suggesting. "Do you think he did it? He could've done it to ensure that Kise wouldn't be able to surpass Aomine, or just to knock Kaijou out of the running. I mean, when you're the coach to a high school student who goes on to be the youngest pro basketball player to get onto the national team, that'd look pretty good on your résumé. That'd be pretty good motivation right there – even if it  _is_ kind of extreme for a high school sports club. But then again, he's the one who got Aomine back in the game after Kise's disappearance."

Alex shrugged unhelpfully. "I thought about that too. It's a possibility we can't rule out yet. The other possibility would be that he was just the driver. So maybe someone on the team did it and didn't know what to do with the body, so they called him up for help. Then maybe because of the bad publicity Touou would get if the story were to leak out, he went to help. Or maybe he didn't want his players to get in trouble. That's the other most likely scenario."

"It definitely doesn't help that he's got a bunch of lawyers ready to tell him not to answer our questions. He could've been the one who leaked the story to the press as well. He knew Aomine and Momoi's past with Kise, their absence and all the time they've been spending with us must've tipped him off. So it looks like Haizaki was probably right after all. Aomine's own team…"

He didn't even want to think about the reactions he was going to get from them.

Alex dipped her head and flipped through the small pile containing all the contact information of everyone that used to be in the Touou basketball club. Picking out a couple, she placed them on top of the pile decisively. "Let's start by looking into the guys we have access to first then. I'll see what I can do about the coach, but our best bet would be to get the other accomplice to confess. Here, these guys would probably be your best guess. They were on the regulars when Kise Ryouta disappeared. Imayoshi Shouichi was the captain at the time, I believe. He doesn't live in Tokyo anymore so you'll have to contact him via telephone or something."

Taking the piece of paper from her hand, he sighed. "Alright, I'll see if I can get a hold of him later then."

\--

He was standing in the convenience store by Aomine's apartment with Kuroko, picking out which ice cream to buy when he brought up the case. "The problem with cases this old is that there's rarely any evidence left. Whatever they collected back then, that's all we have to work with."

Kuroko nodded understandingly. "That does sound difficult, Kagami-kun. How long are you planning on standing there and staring at the ice cream? If you don't know what to try, this brand's pretty good."

"Alright, I'll trust you on this." Finally deciding on a colourful looking popsicle, he went to the cashier with his basket full of snacks.

They had decided to retrace Kise's steps on the night of his disappearance at Kuroko's request. Stepping outside the door, the shorter man looked around, expression unreadable. "So Kise-kun would've been talking to Murasakibara-kun still. Then he saw Haizaki-kun somewhere there and went to talk to him…then he made his way over to the basketball court, right?"

Kagami nodded, already taking a bite of his frozen treat. He stood where he assumed Haizaki would've been that night and looked over to the basketball court. "It's pretty close, but not close enough to see people clearly. Haizaki definitely wouldn't have been able to make anyone out at night. Guess he wasn't lying after all."

"No, I guess he wasn't."

"Hey, Kuroko."

"Yes, Kagami-kun?"

The detective frowned, still munching on the popsicle. While he didn't want to risk shattering the shorter man's hopes or anything, he felt that it was important to mention the difference between TV magic and real life when it came to crime investigations. "I hope you realize that we won't be finding any new evidence over there. It's been ten years. I don't know what kind of TV show you watch at home, but those shows are really unrealistic. We rarely get DNA samples from crime scenes. I don't know how that stuff works, but we definitely won't be finding any here. This isn't a story that's been written by someone, so don't expect something to conveniently pop up."

Kuroko shot him a blank look. "Don't worry, Kagami-kun. I know better than to expect a note with the guy's name on it. Right now, I think I just want to see where Kise-kun was when he was still…before everything happened. I remember that he used to come here to practice with Aomine-kun all the time."

Tongue heavy in his mouth and words stuck in his throat, he nodded wordlessly and followed the other towards the basketball court. Once they were standing outside the fenced area, they took a seat, watching kids play inside. "So we've been talking to Aomine's team. Do you remember very much about them?"

"No, I can't say I do. We played against them quite a few times, but that's about it. There were no regular interactions between Seirin and Touou. From what I remember, Sakurai-kun was a very timid person though he became more confident in the court. There was also Imayoshi-san, who was the captain during Interhigh and the Winter Cup. He was always cordial enough, but his personality was pretty bad."

"'Pretty bad?' That's a pretty vague and negative way to describe someone."

Kuroko nodded, eyes never leaving the ball bouncing around in the court. "I think you'll understand when you talk to him. He's not a person you'd be comfortable around. I think Aomine-kun called him the 'evil four-eyes guy' or something. Although his personality's nothing to die for, he'd very controlled and calculating."

He raised a brow in interest, taking notes in his head. "Is that so? I was talking to Sakurai earlier today and he mentioned that Kise might've gotten a note from someone telling him to break things off with Aomine. Of course, this could've been from anyone, say, a fan or something. But if Sakurai's memories are accurate, Kise's reaction at the time would suggest otherwise. And I'm not sure if that was all that was written on the note or if there'd been others which fuddles things up a bit. But if Imayoshi's as shrewd as you say, then he doesn't sound like the type to write notes like that."

"No," Kuroko agreed. "He doesn't. If he had a problem with Kise-kun, I imagine he would've found a subtler way to deal with it."

Kagami scowled and ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. Trusting the shorter man's word, he already knew that he wouldn't be putting too much effort into the interview with Imayoshi. "I guess I'll find out more when I give him a call tonight – not looking forward to it at all. I wish we had more information on the note though. Do you remember how Momoi mentioned that Kise had been acting strangely about a month before his disappearance? That note would line up with everything she said. Kise might've been dealing with  _that_  problem at the time."

Light blue eyes glazed over slightly. "To be honest, I'm a little angry with Kise-kun right now."

The detective blinked in bewilderment. "Why?"

"Because he didn't rely on any of us. It didn't have to me or Momoi-san specifically. He could've gone to someone, anyone, if this problem was bothering him. But instead, he just kept it to himself. We could've helped somehow. I'm sure of it." Kuroko's fists clenched tightly. "If Kise-kun was killed over something so petty and trivial, I'm not sure how I'd be able to handle it."

Red eyes widened slightly at the surprising amount of emotion the shorter man was so openly expressing to him. And while he understood it and sympathized, there was also not very much he could do about it. "Finding out and getting pissed off about it is still better than never finding out. Well, that's my opinion anyway. We'll deal with it when the time comes, okay? So in the mean time, tell me more about the other guys."

Relaxing visibly, Kuroko nodded in agreement. "To be honest, I don't remember very much about the others. There was a Yoshinori-san, I think, but he graduated after my first year in high school, so I never actually talked to him. And there was Wakamatsu-san, he was the center and took over as captain after Imayoshi-san graduated."

He let out a sigh. "That's really not much, hmm? I suppose that when you're on the same team as someone like Aomine, it's hard to really stand out. You guys in the Generation of Miracles must've crushed everyone else's dream of becoming a pro. How the hell were people supposed to compete against you guys and your inhuman abilities? By the way, I still haven't seen you play actual basketball yet."

Then a voice joined in their conversation. "Tetsu and the detective? What are you guys doing here?"

Narrowing his eyes, he growled, "I have a name, you know. And what are you doing here?"

With a basketball in his hands, Aomine raised a brow. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to shoot a couple of hoops. Just because I've been skipping team practices doesn't mean I just sit around at home all day. Come on, let's see if you're any good. I'll even let you have Tetsu on your team."

The two of them exchanged looks for a moment. They were both clearly thinking about how the pro had no idea that Kise had disappeared and had maybe even been killed somewhere nearby. But glad for a distraction, no matter how momentary, Kagami got up. "Fine. You asked for it. Come on, Kuroko. Let's go and kick Aomine's sorry ass."

They didn't manage to kick Aomine's 'sorry ass' in the end.

But at least Kagami found out that yes, Kuroko  _was_ an excellent basketball player; it just wasn't in a conventional way.

\--

That night, after dinner, he managed to force himself into dialing up Imayoshi.

" _Hello?"_

"Is this Imayoshi Shouichi who used to go to Touou?

" _That would be me. How can I help you?"_

He blinked, not having expected such a heavy accent for someone who went to high school in Tokyo. But still; so far so good.

"My name's Kagami Taiga and I'm a detective working on Kise Ryouta's case."

" _Oh? And how would this pertain to me, detective?"_

Although he could hear the smile in the man's voice, he could also tell that the cogs in Imayoshi's head were turning and analyzing the situation as they spoke. Considering that the older man had the ability to hang up on him at any time, Kagami decided to play it safe. "I'm looking into all the people who attended the Winter Cup in the year Kise went missing. I was just wondering if you had any information that might be of use to the investigation."

" _Are you asking me if I killed him?"_

It was a statement, not a question.

When he didn't answer, Imayoshi continued,  _"While I might not have been all too thrilled about Aomine's relationship with Kise Ryouta, I had nothing against it. I pretty much let him do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted anyway. As long as he showed up for the games, I didn't really care if he skipped practice or what he did with his time. Besides, we lost to Seirin during the first round of the Winter Cup. That was the last match where I got to be the captain. If I remember correctly, Kise Ryouta disappeared after."_

"That's right."

" _Then what motivation would I have to harm him? I wasn't even on the team anymore, really. So even if it benefited them, it wouldn't have been any of my concern. I cried my share of tears and got over it. Oh, but…no, never mind. That's probably not important. I hope you find the killer, detective. If there's nothing else, then I'd like to bid you a goodnight as I'm actually in the middle of something right now. Bye, detective!"_

Before he could say anything else, the man had already hung up.

Running a hand through his hair in frustration, Kagami sat there for a moment to replay the conversation in his head. While he didn't particularly like Imayoshi's personality or the way he was so easily dismissed by a civilian, the man had a point. After Touou lost their first round against Seirin, he had technically passed the torch onto someone else and stepped out of his captain's position. Having stepped out of the team, there was no reason for Imayoshi to continue to look out for the team, and there wasn't any personal gain he could've gotten from killing the blond.

There was no motivation.

It was just as Kuroko had said. Imayoshi wasn't the doer.

"Damn evil four-eyes guy," he muttered in annoyance to himself.

\--

After sitting there for awhile to get over his irritation, Kagami heaved a sigh and picked up the phone, dialing Kuroko's number.

" _Hello?"_

He sighed dejectedly. "No luck. He didn't even need an alibi."

" _I guess that means you can cross another name off your list then, Kagami-kun."_

"Yeah…"

" _What if it wasn't someone on Aomine-kun's team?"_

The detective massaged the bridge of his nose. "Then I guess we've narrowed down the suspect list further. Any work done and any name crossed off is still better than none, wouldn't you agree?"

" _Yes, but I'm anxious that this case won't get solved. I've been getting calls from the members of the Generation of Miracles asking for status updates. I didn't tell them specific details, but I think everyone's afraid that we won't ever know who did this to Kise-kun. I don't mean to put pressure on you or anything, Kagami-kun, but-"_

"We'll definitely find out who did this," he quickly reassured the other. "Although we don't have the magic of TV and miracle DNA samples on our side, I won't stop until it's resolved."

Kuroko sounded relieved.  _"Thank you, Kagami-kun."_

Kagami smiled. "Any time."

He spent the rest of the night reading over the profiles of Aomine's ex-teammates, trying to decide on who to interview next.

\--

It turns out that all of it was unnecessary.

A few fruitless days later, with the media tracking his every movement, Kagami arrived at the office to be greeted with a frown from Alex. He blinked. "What's up? Did something happen? Don't tell me journalists tried to break in here again."

She rolled her eyes. "They've been trying for days now, but that's not it. A guy came in earlier, asking for a plea bargain. Looks like our investigation paid off after all. He probably couldn't take the waiting game so he opted to turn himself in instead. He's sitting in the interrogation room now, looking awfully nervous. You better head on over before he changes his mind and runs off."

Without another word, he threw his things down and made his way to the room.


	14. Chapter 14

Kagami stood there for a long moment at the doorway, staring at the man sitting inside. He couldn't believe after so many weeks of investigating, the man turned himself in. Half of him was annoyed that the man turned himself in when he was so close to finding the truth. By surrendering, the perpetrator had, in his own way, won by turning his hard work into something anticlimactic and almost trivial.

Shame immediately washed over him when he realized what he'd just thought to himself.

The case was about catching a killer.

It was about bringing closure to all those who loved and were loved by the victim and for the victim himself.

It was about justice.

Getting his mindset back into order, Kagami turned the knob and stepped inside.

\--

The man's head immediately snapped upwards, eyes wide with fear, legs still tapping nervously. For a moment, Kagami didn't see a man sitting there; rather, it was just a frightened teenager who knew he'd done something wrong and was trying to own up to his actions.

Clearing his throat, the detective sat down across the table with his manila folder in front of him. "Wakamatsu Kousuke. Tell me, why did you decide to turn yourself in  _now?"_

The blond drummed his fingers in his lap and his eyes trailed downwards to the desk. He looked pale and too thin for his size. When he spoke, he sounded worn out and defeated, as though he'd been weighed down by guilt from his crime. "I…I don't want to hide it anymore. I've lived with it for 10 years and I can't do it anymore. I got a call saying you were on my tail. I knew that I couldn't run away anymore, so I figured that this way, I'd at least be able to preserve some of my dignity."

Coldly, he asked, "What crime are you pleading guilty to?"

Wakamatsu's voice trembled as he admitted quietly, "I killed Kise Ryouta."

And there they were: the four words he'd been waiting to hear.

It didn't feel as satisfying as he thought it would.

"Why'd you do it?"

Still averting eye contact, Wakamatsu spoke, "I didn't mean to kill him. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted him to stop distracting our ace and ruining our team."

Kagami frowned. "Is that why you wrote the note telling Kise to break up with Aomine? That  _was_  you, wasn't it?"

The blond looked shocked for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I wrote that note. I was sick of Aomine skipping practice all the time and getting away with it. He was always distracted. And he never really tried during any of the games and tournaments. I hated him – this person had unlimited talent in the sport I loved the most, and he was just  _wasting_  it. Back in high school, I was never afraid to voice my opinions on things, and I got pissed off when things didn't go my way. It wasn't a secret. Aomine knew I hated him. Kise knew I wanted him to stay away."

The detective folded his hands on top of the desk. "How'd you know that Kise was the one distracting Aomine? From what I heard, he was the one who made Aomine go to practices when he could."

Wakamatsu snorted bitterly. "There's nothing more distracting to a teenager than dating. And besides, Kise wasn't just a distraction, he was Aomine's weakness. It was obvious. After that game against Kaijou during the Interhigh Championship - I've never seen a person so distraught from winning a game. That's what happens when you play against someone you have romantic feelings for. I remember Imayoshi-sempai saying that the only thing there was to worry about Aomine was that he still had a soft spot inside him – a _weakness._

"We both knew that if he was to play Kise again, he'd never be able to play at his best – not after seeing what damage winning could do. He looked  _traumatized_  after that match."

Kagami nodded wordlessly. What Wakamatsu was saying matched up to what Aomine had testified to earlier: the helplessness of being a winner.

"Their relationship was hindering Aomine's performance. And it showed when we lost to Seirin during the Winter Cup," the blond said decisively. "I tried talking to Imayoshi-sempai and he understood what I was getting at, but in the end he just shrugged it off and said, 'What can you do?' I even asked Momoi about it, but she was actually cheering them on. Sakurai practically worshipped them so he was no help either. I didn't know what else to do."

"So for the sake of basketball, you killed Kise?" he asked seriously.

Wakamatsu shook his head fervently. "No! That's not how things happened! I tried confronting him but he wouldn't listen! And then Winter Cup happened and the next thing I knew, Imayoshi-sempai passed the title of 'captain' onto me! All I could think of was how useless I'd be if I couldn't keep my players under control. And Aomine had never listened to me before, so if anything, he'd continue with his old ways and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. We couldn't afford to kick Aomine off the team so I thought that if Kise wasn't in the picture anymore, then at least I'd have one less distraction to have to deal with. It meant I had to try harder to separate them - people were expecting me to lead Touou to victory!"

Judging by the blonde's reactions to questions and accusations, Kagami could tell that while Wakamatsu wasn't necessarily a bad person, he was naturally a short fused person who didn't react well under pressure.

And there was no greater pressure than being expected to lead a team to greatness.

Studying the other closely, he began, "If Aomine behaved for once, then that'd take a load off your shoulder, right? It'd ease the burden of having to be 'captain'. When you're captain, everyone expects so much out of you - it couldn't have been easy. Here you were, drowning in expectations and there was Kise."

"All he ever did was get in the way," the man hissed venomously.

"So why didn't you just tell Aomine to break up with Kise instead of the other way around?"

Wakamatsu scowled at the very thought. "Trying to talk to Aomine would be like talking to a brick wall – except brick walls can't react violently. Every time I confronted Aomine about something, it turned violent. We were just too different to see eye to eye. So I thought maybe Kise would see reason or at least respond to threats."

"But he didn't – or at least not in the way you hoped."

The blond frowned. "At first, he said he'd have to think it over. I took that to be a good sign. But then when I ran into him after the Wintercup Tournament, he said no – and he even had the nerve to wear Aomine's jacket! It was like he was  _flaunting_  the fact that he had our ace wrapped around his finger!"

\--

_Standing in the basketball court, the model had a rueful smile on his face as he spoke, "Look, Wakamatsu-kun, I'm really happy that you're concerned about Aominecchi, but I can reassure you that he'll be better next year."_

_Wakamatsu frowned. "And how can you tell?"_

" _Because Aominecchi loves basketball, he really does. And as long as he loves basketball, I want to be there to support him."_

" _But can't you tell that your 'support' is distracting him!? How can you even have a relationship based around a sport!?"_

_Unfazed by his outburst, Kise shrugged. "I used to wonder that myself, but as of lately, I think that although we both love basketball, there's more to us than just that. It's possible: a basketball-free future. We're still only high school students right now so it's too early to tell what we're going to do with our lives. But to tell you the truth, no matter what I end up doing, I'd like Aominecchi to be there with me."_

_Wakamatsu stood there, speechless._

_Kise's phone buzzed. Blinking down at his phone, he smiled fondly at it. "That's Aominecchi now. I'd better head back before he gets worried. He's thinking about his own future, you know? If not a pro, then he said maybe he'd like to be a cop…I think it'd be cool, but who knows how it'll turn out. Happy holidays, Wakamatsu-kun."_

_In his head, all he could hear was how Aomine was thinking about straying even further away from basketball; how Touou's team would suffer._

_And it was all Kise's fault._

_Glaring at the model's back, he could feel his temper flare and for a minute, all he could see was red._

_\--_

"I remember thinking, 'How  _dare_  he? Who does he think he is, taking our ace away!? Aomine wouldn't have ever even considered anything beyond basketball if it wasn't for  _this_  guy! If he wasn't here, Aomine would finally concentrate on basketball. If he wasn't here, the team would flourish. As captain, I can't permit my ace to have such an obvious weakness. Kise needed to go away and  _stay_  away.' And I thought that if he wouldn't bend to reason, he'd bend to threats.

"The next thing I know, he's there, lying on the ground and not moving at all – not breathing. There were hands around his neck." His hands trembled as he spoke, "And I realized that it was me.  _I_  did that to him. I didn't mean to kill him or even hurt him. I just wanted to scare him - let him know that I was serious. I just wanted him to… _go away_. I was the captain. I was expected to do what's best for my team, but I didn't mean for it to end up like  _that._  After that, I panicked and called the coach."

\--

" _C-coach Harasawa?"_

" _Wakamatsu? What's wrong? Why are you calling me at this hour?"_

" _I…I need help. It was for the team! It was for Aomine! I swear!"_

" _What did you do?"_

" _Kise…I…I…I didn't mean to…"_

_The man cursed over the phone and demanded, "Tell me where you are and make sure no one sees you until I get there!"_

_\--_

_Harasawa showed up with the school's van minutes later. Under his instructions, they quickly loaded the body into the back and drove off, leaving no evidence of their crime behind._

_Wakamatsu had his hands over his ears, trying to drown out the constant buzzing and ringing of the blonde's cell phone, too afraid to turn it off. He was certain that if he touched the phone, everyone who was calling the model would instantly know what he'd done. Frantic, he turned to his coach. "W-we should take him to the hospital and we should call the police, right? Where are we going, coach?"_

" _Just be quiet and do as I say when we get there. You can't ever let anyone know what happened. This will stay between you and me, got it?"_

_His eyes widened. "What? Why? B-but they'll find him! They'll know I did it!"_

" _No they won't! Just calm down and start stripping him! We're going to make sure no one ever finds him."_

_There was no telling how long they drove for, but suddenly, the van came to a halt._

_The man frowned. "Come on, help me wrap the rope around him." When the teenager didn't move, he snapped, "Look, do you want to be tried for murder and hung!? If either of us gets caught, just think about how that's going to reflect on the school, the team, and everyone who knows you! **Nobody**  can know what happened."_

_Terrified of the thought of what could happen, he quickly did as he was told._

_\--_

"We tied him up with rope and attached a rock to the end of it to make sure he'd stay down. I haven't been able to get the image out of my head. I still remember it all like it was yesterday. I knew it was wrong, but the consequences of getting caught terrified me more – until now anyways. So we left him there, in that pond. And there he stayed for 10 years. He stayed in that pond and haunted my dreams for 10 whole years. I tried my best to forget about it, but I couldn't. Maybe it's because I still have Aomine's jacket…

"I think I was starting to adjust to it - the guilt. Maybe Kise finally got sick of haunting my dreams or something or maybe he knew everything was about to get resolved. But I was finally sort of able to sleep again until coach called. He said that the body had been found and that you guys were investigating it. I was supposed to stay low-key and avoid you, but I'm just so tired. I don't want to have a ghost hovering over me anymore."

Kagami couldn't help but feel angrier at the coach than the actual perpetrator. The guy had been a mere teenager at the time, alone and frightened. And instead of guiding him to do the right thing, Harasawa went and made everything worse. Gently, he told the other man, "You know, you should've gone to the hospital and to the police like you originally wanted to. Your coach was wrong. Everything he said and did that night was wrong. You were misled."

Wakamatsu nodded. "Perhaps…I can see that now. But it's too late to be regretting it, isn't it?" After a pause, he added quietly, "I wonder if I was right about any of it though."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, did my actions lead to Aomine's commitment to basketball? Was it because of Kise's death that he managed to lead our team to victory and become a pro? Or would it have all happened anyway?"

The detective frowned. "I couldn't tell you. Even if it did lead to all that, do you think it was worth it?"

In barely a whisper, the blond shook his head and spoke with a haunted voice, "No. Never. I would give anything to undo it all, but there's no turning back time, is there, detective?"

Kagami shook his head. "No, there isn't."

With tears in his eyes, Wakamatsu muttered remorsefully, "I just wanted to break them up...that's all..."

\--

Everything that happened next went by in a blur. They took Wakamatsu away and arrested the coach during his team's practice. Among the players, he could see Aomine and Momoi's shocked faces. Then a moment later, Aomine roared and lashed out at the man only to be held back by his teammates, the disbelief and betrayal evident in his eyes.

Leaving the gym, cameras flashed all around him, blinding him.

Journalists shoved microphones towards his face, trying to get the story out of him.

Ignoring them all, he and Alex loaded the coach into the car and drove off.

Somewhere in between all that, he managed to send a message to Kuroko but never got a reply.

\--

Later that day, they recovered the jacket Kise had worn on the last day from Wakamatsu's place. Kagami stared at it long and hard, wondering if he should file it away with the evidence right away. They'd need it for the trial. Turning the fabric around in his hand, he found it strange, knowing that Kise had worn this during his death. It was strange knowing that the blond took his last breath in that very jacket.

As he fiddled with the jacket, he almost didn't notice when something fell out of the pocket.

Blinking, he picked it up and studied it for a moment.

He almost wished he didn't.

\--

The following day, after news of the arrest got out and the names of the perpetrators released, messages came flooding in. Kagami ended up spending majority of the day reading and listening to voicemail after voicemail, each expressing their gratitude to him for solving the case. He never expected to feel so much grief from solving a case. The more messages he received, the worse he felt, knowing that all those people had lost someone dear to them.

As he sat there, dutifully going though all of them, much to his surprise, one by one, members of the Generation of Miracles showed up at the office to personally thank him.

The first was Midorima who was dragged in by Takao. Eyes red from crying, they thanked him and gave him his lucky item for the day and left as quietly as they entered.

The second was Murasakibara who appeared and offered him a box of pastries as thanks before taking off with Tatsuya to be comforted.

The third was Akashi. No words were exchanged between them, but that single nod he received from the captain of the Generation of Miracles told him more than words ever could.

Then Kaijou's old basketball club showed up, led by Kasamatsu. Teary eyed, the men bowed to him and expressed their appreciation for everything he'd done for their fallen teammate.

Speechless at their heartfelt gesture, all he could do was sit there and will his eyes not to tear up.

\--

It wasn't until a few days later that he heard from Kuroko.

He was sitting at home when there was a knock on the door. Getting up, he looked through the peep-hole but saw no one out in the hallway. Frowning, he opened the door only to find Kuroko standing there. He gave a start and scowled. "Damn it, Kuroko, why can't you show up and be noticeable like a normal person!?"

Unfazed by his surprise, the shorter man replied, "But I knocked, Kagami-kun."

"And I looked through the peep-hole but I didn't see you there! Are you a ghost or something!? Never mind, come on in."

When the two made their way over to the living room, there was an uncomfortable pause between the two of them.

Kuroko was the first to break the silence. "Congratulations on solving the case."

From next to the other man, the detective nodded. "I couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks."

"No, I should be the one thanking you. I'm just glad Kise-kun can finally rest in peace and that we can finally properly mourn for him." There was a foreboding pause. "I talked to Momoi-san recently."

Kagami looked up and frowned. "How's Aomine doing?"

"Not that great, but it could be worse. Momoi-san's been keeping him company – so at least he's not alone. They're both trying their best." Then he added, "He's thinking about quitting basketball."

He pulled his lips tight in thought. Although he didn't particularly like the idea of Aomine quitting basketball, he couldn't blame the man for considering it. Basketball was what caused the whole mess in the first place. It gave him the love of his life and then cruelly took it away. Quietly, he asked, "Do you think he'll go through with it?"

Kuroko shook his head. "I'm not sure. In the end, it's no one's choice but his own. By the way, Kagami-kun, on the weekend, we're going to visit Kise-kun's grave. It'd be nice if you could come."

Kagami nodded. "I'll be there." There was another moment of silence before he continued, "You know, they all came to see me. Most of them were crying or had been. They all came in to thank me and I didn't know what to say to them." He could feel his own eyes stinging with tears as he recalled that day's events. "It could've waited. I wished they'd thought of themselves first and took more time to grieve – instead of coming in to thank me."

The shorter man listened to him wordlessly.

Looking over, the redhead asked, "Kuroko, have you properly mourned for Kise yet? It's over. The case has been solved. You're allowed to cry now."

Slowly, he watched as the light haired man thaw, tears welled up in the other's eyes. "It's over," Kuroko repeated. "Kise-kun's really gone for good and we'll never see him again."

Wrapping his arms around the shorter man and pulling him close, Kagami let his own tears run as he finally said the words he'd wanted to say to everyone who left him a message and thanked him, "I'm so sorry for your loss. I really am."

\--

Kagami would never forget the first time he walked through those trees and onto that grass. Though the tarp and the bones were gone, he could still see them as clear as day in his mind. There were couples sitting in paddleboats, floating idly in the pond and people just sitting on the grass and enjoying the afternoon.

It was as though nothing had ever happened.

The only thing that changed was a portrait stand surrounded by flowers and gifts.

The people who gathered together to mourn just stood there, each reminiscing on their own, recalling experiences shared with the blond. No words were exchanged and no sounds were made save the occasional sniffle. The atmosphere was thick with melancholy and grief.

Standing there amidst all those who loved and were loved by Kise, he felt oddly out of place.

Glancing around, he could imagine Kise watching them all stand there with their heads bowed and their hearts heavy. The only thing the redhead could think was, 'Look, Kise, all these people are here because you were precious to them. You somehow touched their lives and now they're here, grieving for you.'

The detective wasn't sure how long he stood there for but eventually, one by one, the crowd began dispersing. There was a soft tug on his sleeve. Glancing down at Kuroko, he nodded and took it as a sign to leave.

Then he remembered.

Walking over to Aomine, he tapped the pro on the shoulder and handed him an envelope. "I found it in Kise's – well, I guess  _your_ jacket, and I thought you should be the one to keep it. It's got nothing to do with the case, so it's yours now." Softly adding, "Please accept my condolences," he returned to his car with Kuroko.

\--

From across the pond and sitting in the driver's seat, he asked, "How long do you think he'll stay there for?"

Kuroko shook his head. "Aomine-kun will probably be there for at least a couple more hours. He has a lot to think about. I don't think he's really accepted that Kise-kun's gone yet. After 10 years of hoping, it can't be easy to just give it all up."

Kagami nodded understandingly. He wished he could help but he knew that space was what the man needed. Then he remembered the other thing he said he was going to do that day. Pulling out of the parking lot, he glanced over at the shorter man and mustered up his courage. He took a deep breath and began, "Kuroko?"

Light blue eyes turned to him. "Yes, Kagami-kun?"

Although he tried to concentrate on the road, he could feel his heart racing as the words tumbled out of his mouth. "So the thing is, I wanted to ask you earlier, but it would've been totally inappropriate given that I was working on a case that's very personal to you and we had a working relationship – I don't care what Alex says, I think it's inappropriate. And I also wanted to wait a couple more days, but I didn't think I'd be able to – or have the guts to get in touch with you so I'll just ask you now and you can just give me your answer whenever you feel like it, okay?"

Kuroko continued staring at him which didn't help his nervousness. "What is it?"

"Would you like to have dinner with me some time?"

"When?"

Kagami blinked in surprise. "Huh? Well, the offer's valid as of right now, so…"

There was the slightest hint of a smile in the other's voice. "I'm free tonight."

"Are you sure?" was his immediate reaction. "I didn't say it to rush you or anything. If you're not feeling up for it, I'd understand, you know?"

"Kagami-kun, I appreciate your concern but I can't cry anymore. I've already spent the last two days crying and I'm exhausted. What I need right now is a little bit of joy to distract me from my grief. So please, let's go for dinner tonight."

He nodded and stammered, "I…but, you…well, tonight it is then."

"Thank you."

Kuroko sounded so sincere that he couldn't help but look over with a smile. "Anytime."

"Kagami-kun, please keep your eyes on the road."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone's wondering why I chose Wakamatsu to be the killer, I'll tell you which two pages I was talking about before: they were from chapter 73, where Imayoshi mentions that the only thing to worry about is Aomine's soft spot. And seeing as it was said right after their match against Kaijou, I was like, 'Wow, that could totally be misinterpreted.' So those pages, and the question of 'How far would a captain go to get rid of his ace's weakness?' more or less led to this fic. Of course, Imayoshi's too calculating to do anything so reckless, so when he passed his title onto short tempered Wakamatsu, it just turned into...well, this. Hopefully you all enjoyed the mystery!


	15. Epilogue

Aomine Daiki knew that he would never return to this place again.

As people began leaving the site, he continued standing there; staring at the flowers surrounding the portrait of the boy he once loved. Eventually, even Momoi shot him a rueful look and left.

But he stayed.

For hours, he stood there, mind blank with grief.

The only thing he knew for certain was that he would never return to this place where Kise's memorial stood, or to the rooftop where Kise confessed, or to the basketball court where they shared their first kiss. He would never return to any place that held memories of the blond ever again. That was what he decided.

After everything was said and done, all he felt was exhaustion.

The sun was setting when he finally willed himself to leave the park.

\--

The exhaustion that came with the grief and anger didn't fade over the days.

He spent the next week hiding under his covers, refusing to answer his phone or the door but unable to sleep. He stayed away from the television and the radio, not wanting to risk hearing Kise's name on the news – not wanting to be reminded of how he was betrayed by the very sport he loved and lived for. He also avoided the envelope Kagami had handed him; its contents laid splayed carelessly on his night stand.

Curled up in the safety and comfort of his home, he closed his eyes and made a wish.

He was so tired; all he wanted to do was to forget everything and sleep.

So that's exactly what he did.

\--

_He was standing in the basketball court by his apartment._

_Looking down, he found a basketball in his hands. Not particularly worried about how he got there or where the ball came from, he began dribbling it. Idly, he looked at the hoop, and without thinking, he shot the ball upwards and watched it go in._

_Something was off._

_Catching the bouncing ball, he shot it in again, wondering what the problem was. It wasn't until a few more shots that he began to wonder what he was doing and why he was there. Watching as the ball went in, hoop after hoop, he began questioning his career choice._

' _I got bored of basketball in high school, didn't I? Why did I continue playing? Why am I_ _ **still**_ _playing now?' he asked himself, sinking another hoop._

_In the back of his head, an image began surfacing; a flash of yellow. But fearful of what memories would surface, Aomine quickly suppressed the thought and continued playing on his own._

_Then a voice spoke up, "Mind if I join you?"_

_Turning around, he blinked at the sight of a blond teenager. The boy was undeniably good looking and had a slight smile on his face. Aomine shrugged and tossed him the ball. "Sure. Are you any good?"_

_The blond smirked at him challengingly and replied, "I guess there's only one way to find out! Let's have a one-on-one match."_

_So they did._

_When it ended, he stood there, victorious and laughing; out of breath but pleased. "You're not bad, but still a hundred years too early to beat me."_

_The boy merely wiped the sweat off his forehead and pouted. "This isn't fair! I can't believe I lost again! I almost had it too! I'll definitely beat you next time!"_

_Aomine froze at the familiarity of the situation. Astonished, he turned to the teen. "You! It's you! You're the reason I continued playing basketball for all these years."_

_The blond nodded and smiled fondly at him. "And you're still as cool as ever. I've missed you, Aominecchi."_

_And just like that, the memories he tried so hard to lock away came flooding back._

" _Kise…" He wanted nothing more than to run over and embrace the blond, but he was afraid that if he was to move, the other would disappear. Caught somewhere between anger and happiness, he asked, "Why are you here now? After all these years – I waited for you to show up for so many years, so why now?"_

_The teenager shot him a rueful look. "I wanted to, but I couldn't because you never truly believed that I was gone. Even when Kurokocchi and Mr. Detective showed up, you didn't really believe it."_

" _I still don't believe it," Aomine insisted stubbornly._

" _But you do. Or else I wouldn't be here. You don't **want**  to believe it but you know it's true."_

_Taking a minute to search deep inside himself, he realized that the blond was right. Try as he might to deny everything that had happened, it wouldn't change anything. Dropping the basketball, Aomine lowered his head and blurted out, "I'm sorry."_

_Kise blinked and walked over. "Huh? Why?"_

_Fists clenched tightly, he confessed, "Because for ten years, I was upset at you for suddenly disappearing, when in reality, I'm the one who caused your death – so, I'm sorry. It's because of me that all this happened. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you. I should've been there somehow."_

_Golden eyes softened. "That's not true, Aominecchi. Please don't say things like that. If you do, I'll start crying."_

_Aomine snorted and answered instinctively, "Then cry. It's what you do best anyway."_

_The model let out a soft laugh. "You're so mean, Aominecchi." Then quietly, he continued, "I'm the one who should be apologizing. These last ten years have caused you so much grief – I'm sorry." Chewing on his lower lip hesitantly, he asked, "But now that you know the truth, don't you think it's time to let it all go – to let **me**  go?"_

_Instead of answering, he asked a question of his own, "Hey, Kise, if I touch you, will you disappear?"_

_Kise shook his head._

_Tentatively, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the blond. Pulling the other close, he choked back his tears and muttered, "Ten years. For ten years, I've been waiting to do this. If I'd really wanted to move on at any point in my life, I would've, you idiot. I'm not ready to let go of you yet."_

_The model's eyes watered as he closed his eyes and hugged the taller man back. "But you have to. You can't just hide from the truth forever. I'm not coming bac-"_

_He shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want to hear it, Kise! You're here now! That's what matters! If this is a dream, then I just won't wake up! Fuck! I was planning on quitting basketball anyway!"_

_There was a pause between them._

_Letting go, Kise took a step back and picked up the basketball. Amber eyes looked down at the ball and dusted it off. "Are you really going to quit basketball? I never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth."_

" _I don't want to play the sport that took you away from me," he admitted._

" _But it also brought us together, didn't it? You can't just give up on the real world, Aominecchi. There are people who need you. Your teammates and Momoicchi – are you really going to abandon them?" There was a soft ringing in the distance. Kise looked over wistfully. "Do you hear that? Our time's almost up."_

_Aomine frowned. "What do you mean our time's almost up!? You can't just leave me again! I love you!"_

_The blonde's voice dropped down to a whisper. "You **loved**  me, Aominecchi. You loved me so much, and I'll always be grateful for that – but that won't bring me back. There won't be a miracle-"_

_The truth hit him hard and he had to take a deep breath to hold his tears back. He shook his head. "Shut up. I don't want to hear it, Kise."_

" _-there won't be a miracle, but I'm really happy that I got to play basketball with you again." Wiping the tears from his eyes, Kise sniffled. "I'm sorry. I told myself that I wouldn't make this any harder on you by crying. But the thing is, even though we can't be together anymore…even though I know you'll be okay and move on with your life, I love you, Aominecchi. And I know I should be telling you to just forget about me if it hurts too much to hold onto these memories, but the truth is: I don't want to be forgotten._

" _I **want** you to move on and have a long and happy life, I really do! But I'm afraid of being forgotten, Aominecchi. It might sound selfish of me, but I want to be remembered from time to time by Kurokocchi and Kasamatsu-sempai. Even if it's just once every so often, I want to be thought of by you. So would it be alright for me to ask you to not forget about me, Aominecchi?"_

_Pulling the blond into his arms, he frowned. "Don't be stupid! Like I could ever forget about you – like **anyone**  could forget about you! I'd have to be an absolute idiot to do that! You're the best damn thing that ever happened to me!"_

" _Aominecchi…"_

_The ringing grew louder._

_Aomine held the other tighter though he could feel something pulling him away._

_Amber eyes watched him sadly. "It's time. I have to go and you have to wake up, Aominecchi."_

_Struggling against the unseen force, he frowned and reached out for the other._  " _No. Please don't go, Kise. Please…I don't want to lose you again!"_

_The blond took a step back and shook his head. "I have to go. Or rather, you have to. This is no place for the living."_

_He could feel tears running down his cheeks as he was pulled back to the realm of the living. "Kise! I won't forget you! I promise!"_

_Fresh tears spilt from the teen's eyes._  " _Thank you, Aominecchi. Thank you so much for everything - thank you for loving me. You have no idea how much I'm going to miss you _…_ "_

" _Kise…"_

 _Shoulders shaking from suppressed sobs, Kise waved at him._ " _Goodbye, Aominecchi. Please be happy."_

_The last thing he saw was the most heartbreakingly beautiful smile he'd ever seen._

_\--_

Navy eyes snapped open and he sat up with a start. Feeling tears trickling down his face, he quickly wiped them away with his arm and looked around. He was sitting in his bedroom and the sun was shining brightly outside. Checking his phone, he found dozens of missed calls and messages from worried friends and family. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of leaving them unanswered but then decided against it.

After Aomine replied to all of them with 'I'm fine,' he spared a glance over to his nightstand where the envelope Kagami had handed him sat. Leaning over, he grabbed everything off the table and placed it in front of him on the bed. There was a post-it note, and a clear plastic bag with a small gold stud earring inside.

_Aominecchi,_

_It's your turn now! Merry Christmas~!_

_With love,  
_ _Ryouta_

He stared at the note and the earring for awhile, trying to decide on his plan of action. Internally, he already knew what he'd end up doing before he ever made the decision. Taking a deep breath, he took the earring with him to the bathroom. He returned minutes later and began rummaging through his box of 'Kise-related stuff' for his old phone. When he finally located it, he plugged the charger into the wall and turned it on to take a picture of his new piercing.

\--

_25/08/18 14:25  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Thanks for the present. It looks cool, right?_

_**[Photo attached]** _

_***Message could not be delivered*** _

_**\--** _

_25/08/18 14:26  
_ _To: Kise Ryouta_

_I have no idea what I'm going to do now. Fuck_ _._

_._

_._

_._

_I guess I should figure it out..._

**_*Message could not be delivered*_ **

**_\--_ **

_25/08/18 14:26  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_Don't worry. I'll figure it out._

_***Message could not be delivered*** _

 

\--

Days later, Aomine finally managed to drag himself out of his apartment and met up with Kagami and Kuroko during their lunch break. Light blue eyes studied him for a moment before shooting him a relieved look. "You're looking a lot better than you did a few weeks ago, Aomine-kun."

The pro shrugged and nodded. "Thanks."

Kagami raised a brow, taking a pause from his burger. He didn't bring up the earring though it was clear that he also took notice of it. Instead, he asked, "So are you really going to quit basketball?"

Aomine shook his head, thoughts immediately turning to the dream he had. Though he had an extensive answer, he simply replied, "Nah. I thought about it, but I can't really bring myself to hate the sport quite enough to completely cut it out of my life. Besides, there's a game coming up and I can't really just abandon them  _now_  – Satsuki would never let me." Taking a pause, he added, "You know, I never thanked you for solving Kise's case…so thanks. A lot. Really."

The detective looked surprised by his sincerity. "Don't mention it."

The pro pulled his lips taut for a moment. "So, are you two dating now or what?"

Red eyes widened. "How'd you know?"

He shot the redhead an unimpressed look. "Don't worry. I have nothing against it. I'm actually surprised this didn't happen earlier. I mean, it was kind of obvious that you two had a thing for each other. And you're not really being subtle about it either – I can see you two holding hands under the table." Licking his lips hesitantly, he continued in a more serious tone, "Hey Kagami, take care of him, okay? Don't take any of what you have for granted."

Kagami nodded solemnly. "I won't."

After a pause, he decided to change the mood and smirked teasingly. "So Tetsu, never mind kissing - have you guys gone all the way already? Is he any good in bed? I bet he isn't – he doesn't look like the type who'd have very much experience in the bedroom, does he?"

The detective immediately began protesting loudly, face as red as his hair. "Oi! You can't just ask people about these things, Aomine!"

Aomine grinned. "And why not,  _Baka_ gami? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll kick your ass is what I'll do about it!"

The pro raised a brow at the challenge and stood up. "Oh? Is that right?  _You're_  going to kick  _my_  ass?"

Taking the bait, Kagami stood up as well. "Yeah, that's right!"

Electricity and tension crackled between the two.

"Then bring it on! I'll take you  _both_  on again!"

"Sounds good to me! Come on, Kuroko! We've still got some time left before lunchtime's over!"

Kuroko heaved a sigh. As he was dragged out of the burger joint and onto the street by the overzealous pair, in the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a flash of yellow and smiled.

There was no doubt in his mind that it was Kise checking in on them.

"Don't worry. We're doing just fine, Kise-kun," he whispered to the air.

From down the street, Kagami looked back and called out, "Hey Kuroko, what are you standing around for!? Hurry up! We don't have that much time left!"

Turning to the detective, Kuroko nodded and jogged over. "Coming, Kagami-kun."

\--

Later that night, Aomine sat there on his bed and stared at his old phone. Somehow, in his heart, he knew that his next message would be the last he ever sent to the blond, so he needed to make it count. He knew that he needed to write a message that would make Kise smile.

Remembering the teary smile Kise had on his face in his dream, he typed out his message and pressed the 'Send' button.

Suddenly, the screen went blank.

Blinking, Aomine tried to turn the cell phone back on to no avail. After a few minutes of fruitless attempts to restart his phone and tears of grief and frustration, he began to laugh. "So that's it then, Kise? Fine, I get it." Looking down at the blank screen through misty eyes, he muttered, "…thank you."

Then, clapping the phone shut, he got up and put it away for the last time.

\--

_28/08/18 21:32  
To: Kise Ryouta_

_I guess it's goodbye for now…_

_._

_._

_._

_Thanks for all the memories._

_._

_._

_._

_And thanks for loving me._

_._

_._

_._

_I won't forget you._

_._

_._

_._

__

_Let's play basketball together again the next time we meet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's finally finished! After ten years of grieving, Aomine finally finds closure, and Kagami and Kuroko are finally properly dating (and it only took 15 chapters)! Thank you to all my readers for making my first mystery fic (and first KuroBasu fic) a success!


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